Radiate
by Bandbabe
Summary: News of Adam and Fiona's break up becomes public. Fiona is trying to forget him while Adam is trying to win her back. Meanwhile Bianca has others plans… Sequel to "Kiss, Kiss"; Future fic!; Fadam; Badam; Eli/Clare/Drew/Alli/K.C friendship. *Complete*
1. Bad Romance

"Radiate"

Summary: News of Adam and Fiona's break up becomes public. Fiona is trying to forget him while Adam is trying to win her back. Meanwhile Bianca has others plans… Sequel to "Kiss, Kiss"; Future fic!; Adam/Fiona pairing; Adam/Bianca pairing; Eli/Clare/Drew/Alli/K.C. friendship.

Author's Note: This is the sequel to "Kiss, Kiss". Stayed up to like 4am writing it right after I finished it! So much happens, I couldn't complete this in one night.

This is set in October of Adam's Junior year. Fiona still attends Degrassi (the reason why is hinted in chapter 11 of "Come What May"). This is the semester before "How To Save A Life".

Categories: Future Fic; Romance/Drama/Angst/Humor; Fiona/Adam pairing; Bianca/Adam pairing.

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

The next day he was jumble of nerves and didn't want to face going to school. His eyes were red and he hadn't gotten much sleep. He had spent the most of the night crying. When he ran out of tears he found himself obsessively flipping through photos on FaceRange. It killed him seeing them in happier times, but he couldn't help himself.

He kept his head down as he entered the building. He went straight to his locker and sighed. It felt so alien to him, not meeting Fiona at the steps and walking her to her locker.

"Hey man. How are you holding up?" his best friend Eli Goldsworthy asked him.

Adam snorted. "How do you think I'm doing?"

Eli reached out and patted him on the shoulder. "It gets better."

Adam frowned. "That's what Drew said. Things didn't work out for him and Alli."

When Eli didn't respond, Adam followed his gaze. Fiona was down the hall. She went out of her way to avoid looking in their direction as she walked towards her locker.

"Alright, here's your chance," Eli encouraged.

Adam threw him a quizzical look. "Drew told me to give her space."

"And you're going to listen to him?" Eli scoffed.

Adam shrugged. "He's the king of cheaters."

Eli smirked.

Adam gave him a look. "I mean, he has experience in dealing with the fallout of from cheating."

"Right, which doesn't exactly make him an expert on good relationships," Eli pointed out. "You and Fiona aren't a run of the mill relationship. You have a stronger connection than any couple I've ever seen. Aside from my folks," he laughed.

Adam smiled.

Eli continued, "I say, you go over there and tell her you're sorry. Let her know you'll do whatever it takes to make it right."

Adam sighed as he considered his words. "You know, you're right! I hate this, and she probably hates it too."

"Exactly. You guys are meant to be together," Eli agreed. He gave his friend a thumbs up as he walked down the hall.

Adam was nervous as he approached Fiona at her locker. She was fully engrossed in sorting her books. He took a deep breath.

"Hi Fiona," he said.

She stiffened slightly and did not turn to face him. "I don't want to talk to you," she said in an icy tone.

Adam swallowed. He didn't expect her to get over what happened in one night, but the venom in her voice surprised him. She was mostly civil yesterday. "I'm sorry," he told her.

He waited for a response. She didn't say anything as she continued to arrange her books. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing, so he decided to press forward. "I didn't mean to—"

"I SAID I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU. GO AWAY!" she screamed at him.

Adam blinked. The entire hallway was silent as everyone looked at them. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He took one last look at Fiona, who still refused to look at him, and quickly walked away.

Eli's eyes were wide as his best friend hurried past him. He sprinted to catch up.

"Adam, wait!" he called after him.

Adam didn't stop walking until he reached a deserted staircase. He sat on the steps and wrapped his arms around his knees as he gently rocked.

"Adam," Eli said as he reached him. "I'm really sorry. That was shitty advice."

Adam looked up at him sadly. "It's not your fault."

"She's really mad," Eli commented. "I guess Drew was right."

Adam nodded.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Ouch! That was pretty harsh.

**This is the sequel to "Kiss, Kiss". If you haven't read it, check it out!**

Had to think of a new title for this at the last minute! The working title for this was "Bang, Bang" (get it? Kiss Kiss Bang Bang? The movie?) But it was pointed out that it could be misinterpreted, so I changed it. Sigh.

Please review! Would love to hear what you think! This chapter is a little short. Will update tonight!


	2. Friends

"Radiate" – part 2

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

The rest of the day he got an increasing number of stares. The downside to having more friends was that when you wanted to be alone, people still came up to you.

As he headed to study hall Sanjay Chowdhury ran up beside him, "Hey Adam."

He smiled at the short dark haired boy. "Hey Sanjay. What's up?" The freshman was a new addition to the GLBT council.

"I've got a list of some ideas for next week's meeting," the younger boy said. He handed a paper to Adam.

"Thanks man," Adam told him.

Sanjay lingered.

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Something else?"

The freshman quickly shook his head. "No. See you later!"

Adam frowned. Apparently news of this morning was spreading. He was relieved when he reached his usual study spot. There was a nook that he and Eli claimed on the second floor. It was relatively quiet, but didn't have the rules and restrictions of a library.

Eli was already there and smiled when he spotted Adam. "I've got two new comics. You game?"

Adam grinned as he sat down. "Who needs to pass Algebra anyway?" he quipped.

The peace was short lived as he spotted Clare Edwards coming their way.

"Shit," Eli said. Adam frowned at him.

"Adam!" Clare said concerned as she reached them. She stiffened and gave Eli a curt nod, "Eli."

"Clare," he said coolly.

She turned back to Adam. "I heard about this morning. Are you guys alright?" She looked worried.

Adam couldn't meet her eyes. "We broke up."

"WHAT?" Clare screeched.

"Ouch," Eli said covering his ears. She rolled her eyes.

"What happened?" Clare asked Adam.

He sighed. "I don't want to talk about it." When she learned the truth she was going to hate him too.

Clare's eyes darkened. "Does Eli know?"

Adam scoffed. He was tired of this stupid rivalry between Eli and Clare. He was friends with both of them and would continue to be. He only hoped Clare would do the same now that he and Fiona were over.

"He does, but just talking about it makes my head hurt," Adam explained. Clare began to protest. He cut her off, "Clare, I value you as a friend. I'm never going to stop being your friend. Honestly, I'm not picking sides. I just happened to run into him first."

Clare relented, "Alright. But you need to tell me soon."

Adam grimaced. As painful as the next few words would be, it was only right to say them. "You might want to talk to Fiona. She could use a friend."

Clare looked at him for a long moment. "Okay."

She started to walk away when he reached out to her. "I do value being your friend," he repeated.

Clare gave him a small smile. "Me too."

-oOo-

Adam made it to 7th period before someone asked him a direct question about this morning. He was in the hallway drinking from a water fountain when someone came up behind him.

"So what happened between you guys?"

He looked up to see K.C. Guthrie, captain of the basketball team and his fellow team mate.

"It's good to see you too," Adam quipped.

K.C. laughed. "You know me, I don't like to waste time."

Adam sighed. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Hmm, seems like you did something to piss her off," K.C. noted.

Adam resumed drinking from the fountain.

"So that's what happened," K.C. theorized. "Who's the other girl?"

Adam snapped his head up. "What?"

K.C. smirked. "I was just thinking aloud… I thought you really liked Fiona."

"I do! I love her!" Adam professed.

K.C. gave him a knowing look. "Hey, we've _all_ been there. Don't worry about it."

Adam looked at him. He felt strange getting a pep talk from the recent ex-boyfriend of the girl he made out with yesterday. Obviously he didn't know Bianca was involved. Adam wondered how was going to treat him once he found out.

"Hormones can be a bitch," K.C. commiserated. He was aware that Adam had begun taking T shots over the summer.

"It's still my fault," Adam asserted. While he agreed that hormones were powerful, he knew that he still had free will and could have exercised better self-control.

K.C. nodded. "I know. It just makes it harder. Anyway, I think Fiona will come around. You guys love each other and true love always wins in the end, right?"

-oOo-

Drew was running late. He wasn't surprised to find his mother waiting out front. Adam was already in the car. He briskly walked over and got in.

"Finally," Adam said annoyed.

"Let's head home," their mother said diplomatically.

Five minutes in Drew couldn't hold back any longer. He turned to Adam, "I told you, man. What did I say?"

"Andrew, not right now!" Adam said annoyed. He didn't want to discuss this around their mom.

"I said, 'just give it time' and 'give her space'. What did you expect to happen?" Drew argued.

Adam huffed. "I didn't expect her to yell at me in the hallway!" Really, why couldn't Drew give him a break? He felt bad enough as it was.

Drew scoffed. "Girls can act pretty irrational when you cheat on them!" he fired back.

"You did WHAT?" their mother yelled from the front seat.

Adam and Drew looked down at their laps sheepishly. Drew felt bad for catching the attention of their mother.

"Adam, I want answers right now," Mrs. Torres demanded.

Adam bristled. "Thanks a lot Andrew!" he hissed.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Seems like there's been a lot of changes from last year (especially eClare!). Thanks for the reviews! Will update soon-ish!

By the way, T shots = Testosterone shots.

Completely off-topic: Can't wait 'til Turkey day! My mom made the most awesome glazed ham :D


	3. Truths

"Radiate" – part 3

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

Another night of not sleeping. He fought the urge to call or text Fiona. She wanted space and that was least he could give her. He understood now, if she wanted to be with him it had to be her decision. As annoyed as he was with Drew, his brother had been right.

He had been searching FaceRange at 3AM when he got a new kick in the gut.

_** Fiona Coyne is single **_

It was amazing how much four little words could hurt. He lost track of time when he finally cried himself to sleep.

-oOo-

The next day he immediately knew something was up. He got a few stares but there were also whispers. Around third period he finally picked up on the gossip.

"Adam."

"Bianca."

"Kiss."

Adam angrily slammed his locker shut. She had to have told. Eli and Drew would _never_ rat him out. He doubted Fiona would tell other people. It had to be Bianca. There was no one else. He looked up and spotted her down the hall.

He took deep breathes as he walked towards her. He was going to be calm and civil. He didn't get it. She seems so sincere right before he left, yet here she was stirring up trouble again. He was amazed that two days ago they were kissing. What was he thinking?

"Bianca," he said in a measured tone.

She turned to face him. "Hey," she said warmly. "How are you?" she asked with a hint of concern. Like everyone else, she had heard about Fiona freaking out on him.

Adam furrowed his brows. Why was she being so nice? "How do you think?" he said annoyed.

She frowned a little. "And whose fault is that?" she asked.

He leaned closer to her. "Why did you tell people that we kissed?" he asked getting to the point.

Bianca scoffed. Was he serious? She slammed her locker shut and then turned to him with her arms crossed. "I didn't," she admitted.

Adam didn't believe her. "Isn't it enough that we broke up? Why do you want to humiliate Fiona on top of it?"

Bianca glared at him as she leaned closer. "Listen, I didn't force you to kiss me. That was _your _decision. It's not my problem you guys broke up. I suggested that you not tell your little girlfriend about it. As I correctly assumed, she couldn't handle it," she said incensed.

Adam's expression faltered. If Bianca didn't tell anyone, who did? He looked away from her and watched as other students walked to their next class. He caught sight of Fiona right down the hall, staring directly at him.

His heart dropped. He was at Bianca's locker and they were standing pretty close. He took a step back but by then she had already turned away.

"Shit!" he said under his breath.

-oOo-

He avoided lunch for the second day in the row. He didn't want to be there. He knew what people would say. This year started off so great. He was happy. More involved. More accepted. And he had Fiona. Now he just wanted to hide from the world.

"You need food," Alli Bhandari told him. She stood over him with an extra tray. How, he wasn't sure, but she had located him on the front steps.

"Thanks," Adam said surprised. He took the tray from her. There was an apple, mashed potatoes, carrots, and Salisbury steak, along with a small container of plain milk. "I really appreciate this," he told her.

She sat beside him and began eating her own lunch. After a short silence, Adam spoke.

"I'm surprised that you even talking to me. Isn't that against girl code or something?"

Alli smiled. "I think what you did stinks, Adam. I know what Fiona is feeling on a number of levels," she told him. He stared at his plate, unable to meet her eyes. "But, I know who you are Adam. You're a good guy and you truly love Fiona."

He looked at her, his eyes fill of gratitude.

She continued, "I know we didn't get off to a good start last year. But, once I got to know you I was glad that I had."

"Thanks Alli," he said warmly.

They returned to eating their food. After a long moment, Alli nudged him.

"Bianca? Why?"

Adam lowered his head. "I don't know!"

Alli rolled her eyes unconvinced. "You had a crush her last year… before everything that happened."

Adam sighed.

"Maybe she's your type," Alli theorized.

Adam looked at her incredulously. "Fiona is my _type_." Honestly, he didn't think he had a type, but if he did it would be her. However, Adam was sure that Fiona was one of a kind.

Alli laughed. She paused, "Then seriously, why did you kiss Bianca?"

Adam thought about it. "Well, she kissed me," he started.

"Why did you kiss her back?" she rephased the question. Adam gave her a look. Alli would make one hell of litigator.

"I guess… I guess part of me was surprised that she wanted to kiss me at all," he finally said. Alli waited for him to continue. "I mean, she was pretty awful to me last year. I just wanted to know her and she acted like I did something to _her _just for being born in the wrong body."

Adam sighed again. "I did feel a little vindicated that someone who professed to hate me so much actually liked me deep down." He cringed at his words. He turned to her, "I sound seriously fucked up, right?"

Alli shrugged. "Adam, you're no worse than the rest of us," she told him. "And they say there's a thin line between love and hate."

"Fiona certainly hates me now," he said sadly.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Thanks for the reviews!


	4. One of the Guys

"Radiate" – part 4

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

He was dreading basketball practice. For once he was happy to change in a separate area, instead of with the rest of the guys in the locker room. He took his time putting his sports bra on and changing into his jersey. Once he was dressed Adam lingered a little.

By the time he got to the court the rest of the team was already shooting free throws.

"Torres, next time get here on time!" the coach told him. He nodded and ran to the line. As he did he could feel K.C.'s eyes on him.

Practice was progressing better than he thought it would, when coach had them split into groups so they could take turns guarding and stealing the ball. He was paired with Jason Tucker, a tall senior. He had made quite a few remarks about Adam last year. This year they started off rocky, but they had gained a grudging respect for one another.

"Hey Torres, catch me if you can," he smirked. He quickly switched hands as he dribbled the ball. Adam gave him a look. He stayed close to the taller boy for a few moments before making his move. As Tucker went to fake right, Adam grabbed the ball.

"How do ya like me now?" Adam teased. Tucker smiled.

"Well, it was worth a shot!" he laughed. The whole team knew Adam was the best at stealing the ball from opponents. That skill had turned the game around for them more than once.

"Wanna try stealing from me?" Adam smirked. They reversed positions and continued the exercise.

When they were done for the day Tucker came up to him. He clapped Adam on the shoulder, "You're the man, on and off the court."

Adam smiled. "Thanks."

"For real, I ain't mad at you for breaking off a piece to Fiona and Bianca," Tucker grinned.

Adam's smile faltered.

A passing player chimed in, "Yeah man, why choose? They're both hot!"

"Shut up!" Adam told them.

"Hey man, we're on your side," Tucker said. "If you can remember what side you're supposed to be on."

Adam shoved him. The older boy stumbled back a few steps. Tucker glared dangerously at Adam and began coming towards him when their teammates moved in between them.

"Hey! This is not happening. No fighting," K.C. said sternly.

"Thought you'd like to see him get hit. He stole your girl!" Tucker said angrily.

K.C. stared at him, hard. "Bianca isn't my girl. Everyone, practice is over. You're dismissed."

-oOo-

After practice Adam was startled to see K.C. waiting outside his door.

"Hey Adam," K.C. said. His expression was unreadable.

"Look, K.C.—"

"No, you don't have to explain. I'm not upset about Bianca," he said.

Adam looked at him surprised. "You mean that?"

K.C. nodded. "We're not together anymore for a lot of reasons. But I am unhappy about you picking fights at practice."

"Tucker was being an asshole," Adam argued.

K.C. grinned. "He usually is. Still, there's no need to resort to shoving. I won't mention it to coach, but take it in stride next time?"

Adam nodded. "Alright, captain," he smirked.

As K.C. walked away the smile slid off his face. Now that the day was over he was going to track down his ex.

-oOo-

He found her outside by the student parking lot smoking a cigarette. He grabbed her by the arm.

"You and I need to talk."

Bianca glared at him and yanked her arm free. "What the hell K.C.?"

"Fine, we'll have our discussion out here. Why the hell are you going after Adam?" he asked pointedly.

She rolled her eyes. "It's none of your concern."

"He's a good guy Bee," K.C. told her. "I know you like him, but you already admitted that you missed your chance. What happened to that?"

Bianca sighed. "Just leave it."

"No, I won't," K.C. declared. "When we broke up, we agreed to be friends. We agreed that we'd be honest with each other if we fell back into any destructive patterns. I'm telling you now this won't end well."

"Look, I'm not going to interfere in his relationship," she started. K.C. gave her a look. "Anymore that I have already," she added. "But if they don't get back together he's fair game."

K.C. looked away. "I thought after we started dating you were serious about no longer being _that_ girl. This mess with Adam makes you look like a boyfriend-stealer again."

She turned to him. "I'm _not_. Believe me, I'm done with the boiler room and all that crap. I'm not going from guy to guy." He looked at her appraisingly. "You know, I like Adam."

"Yeah," K.C. conceded. "But does he know?"

.

tbc


	5. Can't Let Go, part 1

"Radiate" – part 5

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Thanks for reviews! I've been inspired to add in some more scenes. More angst ahead…

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

The next several days sucked, but things slowly got better. Adam still couldn't adjust to waking up without a morning text from Fiona. Every day he dragged himself out of bed and relied more and more on coffee to get him through.

"You can't rely on a diet of coffee alone!" his mom scolded him.

Adam sighed as he put the pot back on the counter. "Without it I won't make it pass third period," he said dryly as he made his way back to the table.

Drew smirked at Adam as he sat down. "It's not even 7:30am yet," he quipped. His younger brother shrugged.

Audra Torres frowned. "This isn't healthy, Adam. You need to get more rest."

Adam took another sip of the warm beverage. He was really going to need it today. "I'm trying Mom," he told her.

"Good," she said as she placed Drew's dishes in the sink. "It doesn't make sense to lose so much sleep over _that girl_."

Adam rolled his eyes. He was tired of having the same argument. "Can we not do this now?"

After she had gotten over the shock of her son cheating on the girl he claimed he couldn't live without, his mother was quite happy that he and Fiona were done – and she wasn't shy about letting him know that.

"I just think you should date a nice, demure girl. Like Clare," she told him as she walked to car with her sons. She never thought Fiona was right for him. He couldn't see it now, but she was convinced this was for the best. They were getting too serious anyway. He was only 16.

Adam made a face. He was fond of Clare, but not in that way. She was like a sister to him. He was sure the feeling was mutual.

Drew chuckled as he adjusted his seatbelt. "Just so you know, the girl he cheated with is anything but demure," he let the hammer fall.

"Andrew!" Adam said annoyed. Why did his brother insist on bringing this up with their mother around?

In the car mirror, his mother frowned at them.

"If you thought Fiona was wild…" Drew trailed off. Adam sent him another death glare. "Adam doesn't do demure. He goes for _hot_."

-oOo-

Adam was pissed off by the time he got to school. He stopped short in the hallway when he spotted Fiona. He missed her so much. He wanted to fix things but he didn't know how. He watched her as she talked with Clare. He resolved to see if Clare could advise him on how to get through to her.

"Is he still staring?" Fiona asked as she took a book out of her locker.

"Nope," Clare said.

Fiona leaned back so she could catch a glimpse of him down the hall. To her surprise he was still there and their eyes met. She quickly retreated to her locker. "You lied," she hissed at Clare.

"Fiona, don't you think this is getting a little ridiculous?" Clare asked.

She slammed her locker shut. "He claimed to love me. He said would be gentle with my heart. And what does he do? Cheat on me with the skank who went out of her way to make our lives a living hell last year. So, NO. I don't think I'm being ridiculous."

Clare held her ground. "I meant with the way you're going about things. You can't avoid him forever. Maybe the two of you should talk."

Fiona sighed. "I can't."

"Fiona," Clare started.

"I'm afraid to," she admitted. "I'm afraid if we're alone I'll wrap my arms around him and tell him 'it's ok'. But it won't be okay. What kind of person would I be if I condone this?"

Clare paused. "The type of person who shows forgiveness towards people that she loves."

Fiona scoffed at her rather simplistic answer.

"If this was any other guy I'd agree that you'd be a fool to gamble on him. But Adam is different. He loves you. He's crazy about you. He's falling apart without you," Clare pressed.

"He seems fine without me," Fiona quipped. It irritated her that she spotted some girls flirting with him the other day.

"He's been drinking way too much caffeine these days," Clare revealed. "And he never gets enough sleep."

"Well, he made his bed," Fiona said harshly. Clare's sympathy towards Adam was grating._ He_ was the one who strayed and stomped on _her_ heart. "I've got to get to class."

Clare studied her as she left. There had to be more to this story.

-oOo-

When lunch time came Fiona felt a mixture of emotions. She was starving and appreciated unstructured time to chat with her friends. However, these days she also dreaded it. She used to eat lunch with Adam every day, but now that they had broken up, seeing him around was unsettling. His eyes disarmed her, and she felt immense sadness and longing for the way things were. Then she would kick herself for momentarily forgetting why she was upset with him.

Fiona felt bad for being short with Clare earlier, but she didn't want to hear about what a hard time Adam was having with their break up. She still loved him and it hurt to hear that he was hurting. However, she was still angry at him. It was frustrating to hear their mutual friends push for reconciliation when she wasn't ready to even consider it. She finally understood why Eli and Clare got so mad at Adam when he tried to fix things between them.

"Hey, over here!"

Fiona smiled, relieved to see Alli alone at their usual table. Hands down, Alli was her most non-judgmental friend and she could relate to how Fiona felt.

"Hey Alli," she said as she placed her tray on the table.

"You looked lost in thought," Alli noted, with a hint of concern.

Fiona shrugged. "I usually am these days."

Alli nodded. Switching to a more upbeat topic, she asked, "So, did you watch last night?"

"Of course! I really loved the dress that Chico made. I'm glad he won the challenge," Fiona said excitedly.

Fiona and Alli were addicted to the new season of Fashion House.

"I agree," Alli said. "The outfit Uschi made comes in a close second."

Fiona looked up as she took a bite of her baked macaroni.

-oOo-

"She really said that?" Eli frowned as he dropped his tray on the table.

Adam nodded. "Yeah."

Eli shook his head. "It's amazing she still has so much venom."

Adam ripped open the plastic that held his spork and napkin. "She still resents the Coynes for helping me this summer."

Eli nodded in agreement. Mrs. Torres could certainly hold on to a grudge. Reluctant to dwell on such a heavy topic he added, "Anyway, Drew was an ass for butting in but he's right," he smirked.

Adam rolled his eyes. "Thanks."

Eli laughed. "I'm just saying, all of the girls that you been linked to fall into that mold. Even your junior high girlfriend! I mean, I'm sure she looked more 'girl next door' when you were grade 8 but when you introduced us at the GLBT Teen Conference she didn't anymore."

"Very funny," Adam said annoyed. He didn't care about the girls in his past. His only concern was Fiona. "So, I saw Fiona talking to Clare this morning."

Eli shrugged. "What else is new?" The two were good friends.

"I'm thinking of asking her to arrange a meeting. So we could talk," he told Eli. He drummed his fingers on the table nervously as his best friend assessed the idea.

"I think that's asking for trouble," Eli said grimly.

"Why?" Adam asked a little annoyed. It seemed like Eli shot down every idea he had for winning back Fiona. While he didn't want a replay of the locker incident, Adam didn't like sitting back and doing nothing.

Eli sighed. '_Crabby today, aren't we?_' he thought. "Because Fiona is going to end up angry with Clare for butting in and more annoyed with you for ignoring her wishes," he told Adam.

Adam looked off to the side. His head and his heart were at war. As he turned back towards Eli his eyes landed on Fiona. She was sitting about 5 tables away, at their usual spot. She suddenly looked up and they locked eyes. He instantly smiled, as did she. However, after a moment she tore her eyes away, almost as if she had been burned.

.

tbc


	6. Can't Let Go, part 2

"Radiate" – part 6

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Thanks for reviews! Here's the rest of this scene. It's quite long because of the dialogue, and there's like a million characters in this one!

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

"Spotted the ex?" Alli said knowingly. Fiona nodded. Alli looked in Adam's direction and waved. "Yeah, small world, huh?"

Fiona chuckled. "This cafeteria is too small." She moved her tray over and slid to the next seat.

Alli opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted.

"Hey guys!" Jenna Middleton said brightly. Alli and Fiona shared a brief look.

Last year after having her baby Jenna began her long crawl back to popularity. K.C. leaving her again was a tough blow, but by the end of the year she had rejoined the power squad. She had been close to Chantay and thought she was a shoo-in for captain, however Marisol was awarded the title. They didn't exactly get along so some days she looked for her old friend Alli at lunch, despite barely talking to her last semester when she returned to Degrassi. Neither Alli nor Fiona had the heart to tell her to go eat elsewhere.

"So, what's going on?" she asked as she took a seat.

"Nothing," Alli said quickly.

Fiona shrugged. "Just ruminating how this cafeteria is too small."

"Tell me about it!" Jenna laughed. "Can't they make a rule that exes have to eat outside?"

Fiona and Alli laughed.

"So, are you guys free today after school?" Jenna asked as she opened her pint of plain milk.

Fiona avoided the question by taking a sip of water.

"I've got to get straight home," Alli lied.

Jenna sighed heavily. "Crap, who am I going to get to babysit? I have power squad today. Hmm, maybe I can ask Clare!"

-oOo-

"Don't look over there. It's like looking at the sun," Eli said with a knowing smile. "I guess Clare and I were lucky that we had a few weeks to adjust during the summer."

Adam glared at him. "And you didn't tell me until school had started." It had been so weird starting Junior year with Eli and Clare on the outs. He was hurt they kept it from him until he returned from New York City. Eli argued that they preferred to break the news in person.

Adam tore his eyes away from his apple sauce when he noticed Eli hadn't responded. Instead he spotted his friend with a silly grin on his face. He followed his eyes and saw two girls heading their way.

"Eli," he said in a warning tone. It was of no use, as the older boy's attention was elsewhere.

"Hey guys. Mind if we join you?" a girl with short, curly black hair asked him. She had on blue eyeliner and rocked an alternative style. She reminded Adam of Fefe Dobson.

Eli nodded, "Of course not! We have room."

Adam shot his friend an annoyed look. He couldn't be a wingman right now.

The girl's friend gave him a shy smile. She had straight, dark blonde hair which fell to her shoulders. Her style favored pink and pastels matched with jeans. "I'm Anna," she told him as she took a seat next to him. He mumbled hello.

"Adam," Eli said, as if almost remembering his friend was there. "This is Stacy. We have music together. She's an incredible drummer," he smiled.

"Awesome," Adam said. His smile didn't quite reach his eyes. It was weird seeing Eli flirt with someone other than Clare.

"I hear you play bass," Stacy said. Adam raised his eyebrows confused. "We should jam sometime."

"That would be cool," Adam said genuinely. Eli smirked at him, conveying 'isn't she awesome?' Yep, it was official. Eli was a lost cause. While his wished him happiness, he looked towards Anna and wondered how to get out of this impromptu lunch date.

-oOo-

"Hey guys!" Clare exclaimed as she reached her friends. The table was all smiles and laughter. She was happy to avoid drama for one day. Until she spotted Eli, Adam, and their lunch companions. She quickly averted her gaze but was it was too late.

"Ooh, what's going on there?" Jenna commented. Clare wanted to slap her. Way to bring attention to what they wanted to avoid.

"I really don't care," Fiona said quickly. Alli and Clare shared a look, unconvinced.

"There ought to be a rule that exes can't flirt with new girls in the cafeteria," Jenna said proudly.

Clare scoffed. "Adam isn't flirting with that girl."

"Eli certainly is," Jenna noted.

"Jenna!" Alli said annoyed.

The blonde gave her a blank look. "What?"

Clare shook her head. It didn't hurt to see Eli talking to other girls. But she remembered when it did. She looked at Fiona with concern.

-oOo-

Adam was fairly miserable. Eli was completely engrossed in chatting with Stacy. He focused on his food, but her friend Anna continued to make polite conversation. He felt bad for trying to ignore her, but he really didn't want to be here.

"So, you're on the basketball team right?" Anna asked.

Adam nodded as he took another bite of his green beans.

"That's cool. Hey, weren't you responsible for the win on Friday?" she asked.

Adam swallowed his food, and then took a sip of milk. "It's a team sport," he quipped.

She laughed shyly. "I know, but you grabbed the ball from Amherst near the end of the last quarter."

Adam raised an eyebrow, surprised she knew about sports. "Yeah."

"Your team made a basket and after that they never recovered," she finished.

Adam nodded. That _was_ how it went down. K.C. scored two three-pointer shots and Dave scored one. "We got pretty lucky."

"I would assume it takes more than luck. It _is_ a team sport," she teased.

Adam laughed. She seemed sweet, but he needed to make an exit. Maybe it was immature, but if the situation was reversed he wouldn't like Fiona talking to some guy all lunch. They could be talking about nuclear physics all period but from across the room it would look like flirting. He looked down at his food and realized he could finish faster if she was talking about herself.

"So, do you take part any extracurriculars?" he asked. He then took a bit of his chicken.

Anna smiled. "No. I'm new to Degrassi. I'm focusing on academics this year but I'm thinking about joining the science team next semester."

Adam nodded. "I was on it last semester." He took a sip of milk.

Her eyes lit up. "Really? I heard you guys made it to the division finals. How come you aren't on it this year?"

"I'm too busy," he said. With running a club and joining a sports team he would not have had any time to hang out with Fiona and his friends if he continued with it.

"Ah, basketball takes up a lot of time," Anna grinned.

"It does, but I'm president of the GLBT club. That takes up more time," he told her. He raised an eyebrow as she gave him a once over. Perhaps this would cause her to lose interest and he could finish his lunch in peace. The thought relieved him more than anything else.

"Oh," she said. Her eyes lit up further, "You're Adam Torres. I thought so, but I wasn't sure."

Adam looked at her confused. "The one and only."

Anna smiled. She felt like a spaz. Of course she knew who he was. She and Stacy came over because two cute guys they were interested in were sitting alone. It was an opportunity they couldn't pass up. Stacy had class with Eli, but she had never spoken to Adam before. She found it easier to pretend she didn't know anything about him, but it was hard not to notice Adam Torres. His older brother Drew, was captain of the football team. Until recently, his girlfriend was a beautiful socialite from New York. And, Adam had gotten a lot of credit for pushing anti-bullying initiatives, which she knew firsthand many of the sophomores and freshmen were immensely grateful for.

Adam stood up, having finished his last bite of baked macaroni. "It's been fun, but I've got to go. Nice meeting you both!"

-oOo-

Fiona tried her best to ignore the fact that her ex-boyfriend was flirting with a girl five tables away, but she was getting increasingly annoyed. Things seemed to go much smoother for him. What happened with Bianca didn't make a dent in how he was viewed. Sure people were shocked at first, but if anything he got more 'street cred' and he certainly hadn't lost any friends. He was still well liked and now that he was single girls weren't afraid to make their interest in him known. Whereas, she got more than a few looks of pity and had to deal with annoying one-liners from guys she was definitely not interested in. She hadn't lost any friends either, but having so many mutual friends with Adam was starting to bug her.

No one seemed willing to fully take her side. It was always, "what Adam did was inexcusable but… it's _Adam_." Now that Holly J was at Yale, Clare was her closest friend in Toronto and she explained away Adam's behavior to a fault. She claimed Adam wasn't flirting, even though he had been talking to that blonde girl for the past ten minutes.

"I hate to say I told you so," Clare commented.

Fiona looked up to see her friend smirking at Jenna. She followed Jenna's eyes and spotted Adam standing up. He was walking away from the table with his tray, seemingly to dump it. There was another twenty minutes before lunch was up.

"What's he doing?" Jenna asked confused.

Fiona smiled.

-oOo-

Drew came up behind his younger brother with a grin. "Well played, sir."

Adam looked around confused. "Andrew?"

Drew leaned in closer. "I was wondering how you were going to get yourself out of that situation." He tilted his head towards the table where Eli sat now conversing with both girls instead of just Stacy. "So, where are you off to now?"

Adam shrugged. "I guess I'll grab a comic from my locker and sit out there. I've got some time to kill."

Drew threw an arm around him. "No, you're coming with me." He directed them towards his table.

Adam grimaced when he spotted K.C. "Not sure if I'd be welcome." K.C. seemed cool with him at subsequent practices, but he didn't want to push his luck.

Drew gave him a look. "Don't worry about it."

Adam shrugged and followed his brother.

"Hey guys!" Drew said as he rejoined his friends. The table was a mixture of football and basketball jocks. Drew had played both sports last year, but this year he focused on football and landing a scholarship at Eastern University.

Seeing Adam they made room for one more. "Thanks," the younger Torres said as he took a seat.

K.C. grinned at him. "No problem."

"Boys are so weird," Alli noted as she watched Adam join the group from across the room.

Jenna laughed. "You'd think K.C. and Adam would hate each other!" She darted her eyes to Fiona. "Oops."

Fiona, Alli, and Clare were losing patience with Jenna's slip ups.

-oOo-

"If I were you, I'd wait until after lunch. Wouldn't want to start a catfight in the cafeteria now, would we?" a voice interrupted Bianca from her thoughts.

She looked up at Fitz, with a scowl already in place. "What?" she asked lamely.

Fitz smirked at her. "Torres. You know, lunch is a game of cat and mouse these days. If you go over there now, it wouldn't be pretty."

Bianca rolled her eyes. "Thanks for stating the obvious." She wasn't that stupid. There was no way she'd confront Adam about avoiding dance practice in the cafeteria. Not when he sat at a table with her ex, and three girls who hated her would be watching her every move. She couldn't really blame them. Alli, Jenna, and Fiona all had valid reasons to dislike her. However, she didn't like them much either.

"I do what I can," Fitz joked. He finished off the last of his chocolate milk.

Bianca looked at him. "You're one to talk. This entire time you barely pulled your eyes away from Saint Clare."

Fitz stiffened. Every since he had told Bianca that he overheard her nickname she never missed an opportunity to tease him about it. "Whatever."

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Could have named this chapter "Insecurity" because nearly all the characters exhibit what they're insecure about.

Nice lengthy chapter! I'll try to update soonish, though this fic is officially back in production. I originally had it completed at 19 pages in Word. However, I started adding new scenes and it's heading in a new direction so I'm reworking some things. Right now it's up to 38 pages in Word...


	7. To Realize

"Radiate" – part 7

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Thanks for reviews on the last chapter! Glad you guys enjoyed the longest lunch ever, lol. I wrote this part last night. It's kind of a transitional chapter because there's a lot of plot movement in the next few chapters.

Author's Note #2: Twitter returns, although in written form :D

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

Adam did a double take when he spotted Bianca leaning against his locker. He glanced around the hallway for any sign of Fiona before cautiously approaching her.

"Hey," he said curiously.

She smirked at him. "You don't call or write."

Despite himself he chuckled. "What's going on?"

Bianca moved aside so he could access his locker. "We have to present in class tomorrow so today will be our final practice." She was telling him, not asking him.

"Crap!" Adam said as he remembered. Had it really been two weeks since they were assigned partners? He was doing a terrible job of keeping track of things lately, so he had completely forgotten that tomorrow would be project day. "I have some stuff to do for GLBT club after school."

Bianca sighed annoyed. "Well, I'm sure you can delegate Mr. President," she teased. He looked at her and smiled. She continued, "I'll meet you outside the dance studio."

Adam paused. Did they really have to return to that location? He wanted somewhere more public but he couldn't think anywhere else on such short notice. "Fine," he reluctantly agreed.

Bianca grinned. She was certain he was thinking of their kiss. "See you then."

Adam watched her go with an uneasy feeling. It was too late to get another partner, not that he was able to find one at the start of project.

"Might want to be careful there," he heard from behind. Adam turned around, ready with a retort. He found Alicia Reynolds smiling at him. He smiled back, happy to see just the person he needed to see. The tall, auburn haired junior was his vice president. "Oh no, what do you need?" she asked warily.

He smiled wider and threw an arm around her shoulder. "I need a favor," he started.

-oOo-

Fiona sighed as she leaned forward on the yoga ball. Media Immersion was usually one of her favorite classes but today that wasn't the case. Miss Oh's lecture was putting her to sleep. She glanced around the room. Half of her peers seemed to be listening, the rest were glued to their screens. She decided to do some surfing.

She found herself on Twitter checking her messages. She had a couple of new tweets from Holly J. In the most recent one her best friend agreed that mint chocolate chip was the best ice cream flavor ever. Fiona smiled. The earlier tweet was clearly based on their long discussion last night. Her smile faded.

To say Holly J was angry with Adam was an understatement. She was livid with him for breaking her best friend's heart, especially after Fiona had "re-arranged her life for him." Fiona disagreed with Holly J on that point. It was true that Adam was reason she decided stay in Toronto this year, however they had both made choices and sacrifices to be together. He had spent the whole summer in New York working five days a week for his uncle so he could be with her. And while he still had a few semesters to go, he refused to consider anywhere else but New York City for university. This was a major source of tension between him and his mother. It also was one of the multiple reasons Mrs. Torres resented his relationship with Fiona.

In the end the two friends agreed to disagree, but Fiona assured Holly J that she was fine with the choices she had made. She wasn't fine with how crappy this whole week had been. Between spending her nights crying, enduring the whispers of gossip in the halls, and avoiding Adam the best she could, Fiona was exhausted. She welcomed the coming weekend. She just had one more day to get through.

Fiona clicked a trending link for "Almost TGIF". She saw a tweet from Clare about how glad she was that the day was almost over because it brought her closer to Saturday. During lunch Clare mentioned that her favorite author was in town and she was going to his book signing. Fiona chuckled when she noticed the timestamp. Clare must have posted it during the class right before this one. Fiona scrolled down and saw a posting from Drew.

She flinched.

She didn't have a problem with the elder Torres but she preferred to avoid him too – seeing him reminded her of Adam. In his tweet he said he was looking forward to Friday because it meant "just 1 more awkward lunch." He tagged FunAdam in his message. Fiona sighed. It probably wasn't smart to browse Twitter. Their networks overlapped so the probability of seeing something Adam-related was high.

Just as she went to close the browser window a new message for this trend popped up. It was from Bianca. Fiona instantly narrowed her eyes. She debated closing the window anyway but curiosity got the best of her. Bianca's message read "Tango tomorrow! Finally get to showcase my skills. You ready FunAdam?"

Fiona blinked. Of course she'd have to read a message that would make her jealously skyrocket and her sadness deepened. She looked around the room and spotted the curly haired brunette a few rows back, off to the right. It was the one class they had together. Fiona was tempted to throw her a dirty look, but decided against it. What was the point? It wouldn't change anything. Bianca and Adam _were_ dance partners. It blew her mind that he was still in Remedial Gym even though he was on the basketball team! His mother hedged on signing the paperwork that would allow him to transfer to regular gym. By the time she did the deadline had passed.

Fiona faced forward. At the end of the day Bianca was insignificant. Yes, she was ticked off that the girl had the nerve to message Adam on a public forum after what happened between them. However, Bianca wasn't the one who betrayed her. While Fiona certainly found the younger girl's moral compass to be questionable, given her history of conquests, the truth was Bianca didn't owe her anything. She was upset with the other girl for disrespecting her relationship with Adam, but the majority of her hurt and anger was directed towards her ex for his actions.

She closed the tab and opened a blank one.

"Retail therapy," she said to herself. "That's what I need."

-oOo-

"I would expect you to be halfway across the school by now," Eli grinned as he approached his best friend. It was the end of the day and Adam seemed to be lingering at his locker. This was not his usual MO. He usually had something to run to after school, whether it was basketball practice, GLBT club meetings, or spending an afternoon with Fiona.

Adam sighed as he closed his locker. "I'm heading to the dance studio."

Eli widened his eyes. "Don't tell me with…"

Adam nodded. "We have to dance in class tomorrow."

Eli shook his head. "Can't you practice in the hallway or something? Returning to the scene of the crime for more one on one time seems counterproductive to winning Fiona back."

Adam gave him a look. "It's just one afternoon, and after tomorrow we're done with the project for good."

Eli paused.

Adam sensed he had more to say. "What?"

Eli gathered his words. "It's just that… the tango seems like a rather intimate dance, no?"

Adam looked off to the side. There was quite a bit of closeness involved in the dance. He wished they were break dancing or something instead. "It's what we were assigned."

Eli shrugged. "It's your funeral…"

-oOo-

Bianca rolled her eyes as Adam stepped on her foot for the umpteenth time. "No, you reversed the steps!"

"Sorry," Adam said sheepishly.

"Look, I know we haven't practiced together in awhile. But have you been practicing _at all_ this week?" she asked annoyed.

"I have… when I have time," he professed.

She wasn't buying it. Adam was one of the best dancers in the class. It was main reason she didn't look too hard for another partner when they were first assigned to work together. However, right now he was terrible. Now she was worried about tomorrow.

Adam ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. I haven't been getting much sleep lately," he admitted. He sat down on the couch.

Bianca's expression softened. He did seem pretty out of it lately. She knew his breakup with Fiona had hit him pretty hard. She took a seat at the other end of the couch. "Well, maybe surfing FaceRange at 2am has something to do with it?"

Adam chuckled. He looked at her. "Yeah, it's probably not the smartest idea when you've been sleep deprived all week."

They were silent for a long moment. Finally Bianca spoke.

"Well, obviously practice is shot for today." Adam nodded in agreement. She continued, "I think we're on the same page about the steps, we just need to be in better shape to perform them. Get some rest tonight, Adam. Seriously."

"I will," he promised.

"Tomorrow we'll do a quick run through in the morning, before class." Again she was telling him, not asking him. Adam smirked.

"Sounds like a plan. I'm usually here early because of Drew's morning practices. Do you want to meet up during zero period?" he asked.

That was so early in the morning, but it was only one day. "Sure," she shrugged. She stood up to leave. Adam followed suit.

"Thanks," he said softly as they walked out the door.

She looked at him surprised. "For what?"

"For being cool about this," he told her.

She rolled her eyes as she looked away, hiding her nervousness. "Being a bitch wouldn't help any."

"Right," he said unconvinced. Once you got past her defenses she wasn't too bad. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She nodded and they walked off in opposite directions. After a few moments she turned around, and watched him go.

'_This was unexpected_,' she thought. Practice hadn't gone the way she thought it would. The chemistry they had on the day they kissed was not there at all. Bianca was disappointed. She realized even though a week had passed and Fiona seemed no closer to reconciling with Adam than the day they broke up, it was still too soon to pursue anything with him. He wasn't ready.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: I would have included the last scene in a separate chapter, but it was too short and definitely doesn't fit in the next one!

Anyway, twitter doesn't seem to be Fiona's friend at the moment. And Adam, all the late nights are catching up with him…

Let me know what you think of this installment! Will update soon.


	8. Interest

"Radiate" – part 8

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Skipping ahead a few days…

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

"So what are you doing after club?" she asked him.

Adam sighed. "Nothing. I don't have any plans." Most days when he had GLBT club Fiona would be waiting for him afterwards. She'd pick him up and they would head back to her condo.

"Do you want to go to the Dot? We can hang out. Get a grilled cheese?"

He gave her a quizzical look. "You don't have plans?"

She shook her head.

"What about your girlfriend Sidney? The two of you used to be joined at the hip." Adam was surprised he hadn't noticed. Then again his mind was preoccupied with his own break up.

"We work better as friends," she shrugged. "Besides I've got someone else in my cross-hairs."

Adam grinned. "Good for you. I'll see you at the meeting, Rosalee!"

Rosalee Arnold smiled as she watched Adam head to down the hall. He had been single for over a week and she decided it was time to make a move.

She liked him. She had always liked him. She remembered the first time she saw Adam. She transferred to Degrassi for her Sophomore year and she didn't know anyone. Over the course of the day she received a flyer for GLBT club. She was nervous about going. What if revealing her sexuality opened her up to ridicule? She hedged back and forth on it all day. Finally she decided to just go.

She sat in an orange plastic chair and stared at her lap, too shy to strike up a conversation with anyone around her. She sat there, keeping to herself until the meeting started. She looked up when the president of the club was introduced. He was a cute boy with bright blue eyes. He had shaggy brown hair which he wore a hat over. She liked his clothes. He had on a black dress jacket with dark jeans. She smiled to herself, then felt disappointment. If he was in this club then he was probably into boys, though there was the possibility that he was bisexual like she was.

As he began speaking she liked him even more. He had been through a lot of adversity yet was so genuine and full of life that you couldn't _not_ like him. She had mixed feelings when he mentioned his girlfriend. On one hand, that meant he was into girls. On the other hand, that meant she didn't have a chance because just from hearing him talk it sounded like love.

When Rosalee learned he was transgendered, her mouth dropped open. He wasn't the manliest looking of guys, not by a long shot and his voice was pretty high. But his energy, his swagger, was very masculine. She had known other trans folk before, but they were male-to-female transgenders.

Eventually her crush lessened on Adam Torres. She went on to find a girlfriend, Sidney. They had gotten along well, but weren't made to last. When she found out Adam was single, it was the push she needed to end things for good. Rosalee had no qualms about being interested in a transman. She fell in love with who the person was regardless of gender.

She smiled to herself, elated to have an afternoon alone with him and headed to her own class.

-oOo-

"Hey Fiona, wait up!"

She rolled her eyes. It was Owen Milligan. He had been in her face every since her break up with Adam became public. It was Monday morning and she didn't want to be bothered.

"What do you want now?" she asked dryly.

He smirked as he looked her up and down.

"Ew," she said and continued walking.

"Aww, come on. You walked right into that one!" he teased.

"Frat boy humor is hilarious," she deadpanned.

"Okay, I promise to be more refined on our date," he told her.

"We're not going on a date," she reminded him. Every time he asked, she told him 'no'. What he called persistence, she called being a nuisance. "Look, you and I are never going to happen."

"But you'll date Torres?" he said darkly.

Every single boy she turned down would throw out some variation of that line. It was as if they thought since she dated a transgendered guy it automatically meant they had a shot. It was faulty logic to say the least.

She rolled her eyes. "I did for eight months," she told him.

"I don't get why you won't give me a shot," Owen protested. He was beginning to lose his cool. "Especially since I don't need a strap-on to get you off," he yelled.

Fiona eyes shone with anger. Clearly he had no concept of what they did in the bedroom, and she was tired of all the insults leading back to sex.

"Listen close because I'm only going to say this once," she said sternly. "I'm pissed at Adam Torres. He betrayed me and shattered my heart. But as angry as I am with him, I'm angry with douchebags like you _more_. I don't want to think about my ex-boyfriend. When I do I prefer to curse his name. But every time _idiots_ like you insult him for being transgendered I have to tell you off and put you in your place. I'd rather not defend him. I rather not talk about him. But you _assholes_ keep bringing him up. Here's all I want to say… Cut. That. Shit. Out."

Owen looked at her stunned speechless. She glared at him again and walked off to her next class.

Bianca smirked as she walked past Owen. They had a falling out earlier in the year and were no longer friends. "Someone got owned," she jeered.

He glared at her. "Oh look, another one of Torres' dykes."

"Funny how no girls are interested in you," she ridiculed him. "Guess you'll have to keep paying for it."

"Whatever," he dismissed her.

She laughed. That wasn't even a good comeback. He was pathetic, bitter, and sad.

As he walked to his next class Owen was so filled with rage that he wanted to punch something. He had struck out with Fiona _again_. She was smoking hot and it bugged him that she would actually prefer to date that freak over him. After all, he was a real guy!

It didn't sit well with him that everyone seemed to accept Torres as a dude. Bianca had changed a lot since last year. He could see that dating K.C. had softened her in some ways, but hearing about her kissing Torres had surprised him. These days the two had their differences, but he didn't think she had drunk the kool aid like everyone else in this school. When he mentioned it to Fitz, whom he was still on speaking terms with, the other boy simply didn't care anymore. About any of it. Fitz was focused on school – he was doing exceptionally well in shop class – and preoccupied by his little crush on Clare Edwards.

Owen bristled. He was his own man and if he had to be an island, so be it! He wasn't going to bend for anyone, even if he did miss being part of a trio.

-oOo-

"Focus man!" Eli told his best friend. They were studying for a test in their nook and Adam kept drifting into space.

"Sorry," he mumbled as he looked down at his notes. He was so lost. He had slipped into a daydream around question 16. They were now up to number 25.

"What is it with you?" Eli said annoyed. Adam was usually a good study partner, especially when it came to math, but these days he was off.

Adam turned to him. "How do you do it?" he asked. He knew he should focus on catching up, but his curiosity got the best of him.

"Do what?" the older boy responded confused.

Adam glanced around the large room. There were a few other students studying, but they were farther away. Seeing they couldn't be overheard he continued, "Go without sex. It's been twelve days and I am dying." His hand just wasn't the same.

Eli looked at him incredulously. "Wow, and here I was thinking you were thinking about Fiona."

Adam grinned. "I _am_, dude."

Eli crinkled his face, "Ok, TMI!" he told him. Adam laughed.

After a long moment he grew somber. "I really miss her," he said sadly. "And no, I'm not just talking about sex," he added before Eli could interject.

Eli gave him a sympathetic look. "I know. This really sucks, but you can't force it. Either she'll give you another chance or she won't."

Adam sighed. He knew his friend was right but waiting was torture.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: As you can see, Bianca certainly isn't the only one happy that Fadam broke up…

TMI means "too much information". AKA an overshare, lol.

I appreciate the reviews! It's great to hear what you guys think. Thanks for the faves and alerts too :D


	9. Confrontations

"Radiate" – part 9

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: I was debating whether or not to publish this tonight, since I just posted chapter 8 this morning. But then I thought, why not? ;-)

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

This was not the date Rosalee intended. Adam was jealously staring at his ex-girlfriend who was chatting with the guy behind the counter. They talked all about 5 minutes before he had noticed his ex and he hadn't taken his eyes off her since. And worse, she and Adam weren't even alone at their table!

She had gone out of her way to make sure no one else from GLBT club tagged along. She had even disinvited Sanjay, who Adam had spoken to sometime after lunch. About 15 minutes after arriving Adam's friend Clare had arrived and parked herself at their table. Adam didn't mind, but he wasn't paying attention to either of them. The way this Clare girl was staring her down was making her nervous.

"I'll be right back," Rosalee said as she excused herself.

Clare watched her go. Once the other girl was out of sight she flicked Adam in the ear.

"Oww!" he yelped. "What was that for?" he said holding his right ear.

"You're making a fool out of yourself!" she told him.

"What do you mean?" he asked perplexed.

"First, I'm pretty sure Fiona has noticed you staring her and Peter down," Clare said.

He quickly turned away. "Crap."

Clare laughed at him. "Adam," she said shaking her head.

"It's driving me crazy," he finally admitted. "I'm not really threatened by the guys at school, but Peter… He's closer to her age. He has his own money. And they've always been friendly."

Clare leaned towards him. "He's not you."

Adam smiled.

"She _loves_ you, despite what she says," Clare assured him.

Adam shrugged. "I don't even know anymore. She won't talk to me. She won't look at me."

"Oh she looks at you. But only when she thinks you're not looking," Clare revealed.

Adam visibly brightened. "Really?"

"Really," Clare affirmed. "But right now, you're going home."

"Why? I've got to see what happens with Peter," he protested.

"Nope. I'll fill you in later," she told him.

"But—"

"But that Rosalee chick thinks you're on a date. I came over here so Fiona wouldn't get the wrong impression," Clare told him.

Adam scoffed. "No way! We're just friends. And she has a girlfriend… wait, _had_."

Clare gave him a knowing look. "Does she date guys?"

Adam furrowed his brows. "Right, she's bi." Clare's theory made sense but he didn't want to admit she was right. "That doesn't mean she's into me."

"Well, it's up to you. Do you want Fiona to think you're dating other girls?"

Adam shook his head.

"I'll cover for you," Clare offered.

He smiled her gratefully. "Thanks Clare." He took one last look at Fiona and exited the Dot.

A few minutes later Rosalee returned to the table. She narrowed her eyes when she noticed it was just Clare.

"Where's Adam?" she asked the other girl.

"He had to go," Clare told her.

"What? He didn't even say goodbye," Rosalee lamented.

Clare sized her up again. She was going to give her a soft brush off, but she decided a heavy handed approach would be better. She wanted there to be no ambiguity.

"Here's the deal," she started. "Adam and Fiona are getting back together. They're in love and will find their way. You have no chance, so just let it go now."

Rosalee blinked. "I-I just want to be his friend."

"Bull crap," Clare said. "I look out for my friends and I'll be watching." With that she left the table and headed to the bar.

Fiona laughed as Peter sang an impromptu television jingle. He was slightly off-key but she found that adorable.

"And that's all she wrote," he spoke aloud at the end.

She smiled at him. "You sure have a flair for entertaining."

"Hey, it makes my day to make pretty girls laugh," he told her as he looked into her eyes.

"Hello, can I borrow her?" It was a demand, not a request. Clare tugged Fiona on the arm and pulled her outside. "Okay, what are you doing?" she inquired.

"Excuse me?" Fiona frowned. "I should be asking you that!"

"Don't pretend you didn't notice Adam was here," Clare argued.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. I can't stop living my life because he _might_ be around!" Fiona argued.

"You know he's miserable. You're being passive aggressive to hurt him and I don't think that's fair," Clare said.

Fiona's anger flared. "You're not the one who was cheated on!"

"My boyfriend couldn't let go of his dead girlfriend! I was competing with a ghost and he didn't choose me!" Clare yelled. She was close to tears. "Adam made a _really_ stupid error in judgment. At least you know he loves you with all his heart."

Fiona wasn't sure what to say. Clare never spoke about what caused her break up with Eli over the summer. She pulled the younger girl into a hug. They stood there for a long time. Both their eyes were wet with unshed tears when they pulled away.

"What's really standing in the way of you getting back together with Adam?" Clare asked. This time her voice was calm. There was no accusation or anger.

Fiona took a deep breath. "I don't know if I can trust him," she admitted honestly.

"Do you really think he'd cheat on you again after all that happened?" Clare questioned.

Fiona thought about it. "No, but our trust issues extend beyond cheating."

Clare waited for her to continue.

"When I think of how were, so honest and completely in love, now it's tainted. I can't stop thinking about all we've been through, everything we endured and discovered together, without remembering how easily he was willing to throw it away. The kind of innocence we had, we can never get back. The relationship we had, we can't ever get back," she finished.

In some ways Clare understood what she meant. The illusion that the person you loved would 'never do that' or 'never hurt me'. Sometimes once you cross a line, it could never be erased. However, as Clare saw it that didn't apply in this case. People are flawed beings. It may be impossible to get back what once was, but it didn't mean you couldn't start over.

"You're right. You can't get back the relationship you had," Clare told her. Fiona looked at her sadly. "But perhaps, you could build one that is even better."

Fiona turned to her. "What do you mean?"

"You understand each other and your weaknesses a lot better than you did a year ago, right?"

Fiona nodded.

"That's a good thing. You could start again, from who you are now instead of who you think each other are," Clare suggested.

Fiona considered her words. "It's not that easy."

"You'll never know until you try," the younger girl reminded her.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Clare can be badass when looking out for the people she cares about! (Remember the stink bomb? Lol)

Let me know what you think. Reviews are a joy to read :D


	10. Resolution

"Radiate" – part 10

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! Indeed, Clare rocks. This chapter is relatively short but moves the plot along quite a bit. I felt the scene should stand alone. Will update soon-ish!

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

The past couple of days were uneventful. He was surprised when he received her note. It was slipped into his locker. He read it a few times to make sure had it right. Here he was in the deserted room, waiting for the brunette to arrive.

Adam sat on one of the chairs in the first row. The minutes ticked by. He really hoped he wasn't going to be stood up because he wanted to go to lunch.

"Adam," he heard from behind him. He stood up.

"Bianca," he acknowledged. "I got your note."

She smiled shyly at him. "Great."

"So, what's this about?" he asked.

She stared at him for a moment. "Would you like to sit down?"

"I'd rather stand," he told her. "I want to head to lunch before the kitchen closes."

"Oh, right," she nodded.

"You know, I never apologized for assuming you told everyone. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions."

Bianca smiled. Adam really was a nice guy. He had every reason to hate her, yet he stood before her because she asked him to on a nondescript note.

"You don't have to, Adam. I never apologized for being such a bitch to you last year," she told him.

He looked at her curiously. "Why was that?"

"I'm not fond of apologies. It's not my style," she quipped.

He laughed. "You know what I meant."

She took a deep breath. "You really got under my skin. I don't know how and I didn't want you to, but you did." He stared at her. "For the longest time I swore I felt nothing but intense dislike for you but… I don't think that was it at all."

"I don't understand," Adam told her. She would constantly call him 'tranny' or 'freak'. If you don't dislike someone, then why would you call them such hurtful names?

"Before… Before I knew, I started to like you a bit," Bianca inwardly cringed at her words. "Then when I found out… I was horrified."

Adam clinched his jaw. "It wasn't something I could control."

Bianca nodded. "I know that now. But, at the time I think I was mad at you for ruining something _good_ before it even started."

Adam looked into her eyes. "Why did you call me here today?"

Bianca swallowed. This was the moment of truth. It was now or never. "I can't forget the kiss we shared," she admitted. Adam looked away. She stepped towards him. "I wanted to do that for a long time."

Adam took a step back. "You don't know how much I wanted to kiss to you," he revealed. "Last year, I didn't know the first thing about Ballroom dancing. But the moment I spotted you in the class I spent hours practicing to videos online. My stomach was doing flips the first time I asked you to dance. When I looked into your eyes I felt a spark that I never felt before."

Bianca's eyes started to fill with tears.

"When I was at your locker I was trying very hard to stay cool and act macho because I thought if I wasn't forward with you, then I wouldn't have a chance. Every time you smiled at me I could have floated up to the moon," Adam smiled at the memories. "Then you felt my chest and everything changed… You made it clear you didn't want me. That you were disgusted by me. You even hated me. I was so depressed and everyday was a nightmare. Every insult cut like a knife and what hurt the most was seeing the eyes that smiled at me and made heart skip a beat, look at me with scorn and derision."

Bianca didn't know what to say.

"I didn't think that anyone would want me. Not to really be with me. But then I met Fiona. She didn't care and accepted me as I am. I fell in love and I can say without hesitation that she is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I don't know if she'll ever forgive me but it doesn't change what I feel for her," he continued. "I like you, Bianca. The person you are today is not the person you were last year. I've always been attracted to you and probably always will. But I can't be with you. I already gave my heart away to someone else," he finished.

She looked at him and smiled a bittersweet smile. "I really missed my chance, huh?"

Adam nodded. He walked over to her and gave her an emotional hug. She understood he was letting her go.

After a long moment he pulled away. "See you around?"

Bianca watched him go. "Adam," she said as he reached the door. He turned. "My advice is to be persistent. It worked for you once upon a time."

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: My eyes were tearing up when I wrote this chapter! Still hits me in the gut every time I read it.

Reviews = awesome. Hint, hint…


	11. This Love

"Radiate" – part 11

Summary and notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Wow, I really appreciate all of the feedback on the last chapter!

Writing that scene was definitely bittersweet. Badam had tons of chemistry in part 1 of "My Body is a Cage", but given all that has happened I think Adam's reasoning makes sense.

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

Adam's head was swimming as he reached the lunch room. He scanned for Fiona, but she was nowhere in sight. He saw Clare talking with Alli and headed over to their table.

"Do you know where Fiona is?" he questioned.

"Probably avoiding you," Alli quipped.

Clare looked at her.

"What? It's true," Alli remarked.

Adam cracked a small smile. "I can take a joke."

"I have no idea. I don't think she came to the cafeteria," Clare told him.

"Thanks," he told her and sped off.

He left the lunch room and headed towards the lockers. The hallways were pretty empty, as most students were either in class or eating lunch. He didn't see her anywhere. After several minutes he decided to search outside. It was kind of chilly today, but there was chance she could be sitting at the picnic tables. He walked towards the entrance and that's when he saw her.

Fiona paused when she spotted Adam. Every since her talk with Clare a couple of days ago she worked even harder to avoid him. Their talk left her more confused than ever about her situation with Adam. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do, so in the interim doing nothing was preferable. Now she stood just a few feet away him, alone. She debated whether to turn around, but before she could decide he was right in front of her.

"Do you love me?" he asked with urgency. His eyes were wide and intense.

"What? Why are you asking me that?" Fiona questioned.

"Do you… love me?" Adam said in a quieter tone. His voice was calm, yet firm.

"What do you want, Adam?" she asked. Why was he asking questions that he already knew the answer to?

He looked deeply into her eyes. "If you don't love me, I'll walk away and never bother you again," he told her. "But if you do, know this. I'll _never_ give up on you. I'll do whatever it takes to make things right because I want you in my life."

Fiona looked away as her eyes began to fill with tears. "I'm scared," she admitted. "What if we can't get back what we had?"

Adam took a step closer. "I'm scared too," he confessed. "But we'll never know until we try."

He looked at her cautiously as she considered his words. He took a few more steps forward, and stopped when he was right in front of her. He slowly brought a hand up to her cheek and gently caressed her skin. Fiona finally looked up and their eyes met. Adam leaned in and softly brought his lips to hers. It was a chaste kiss, but he hoped it communicated all that he couldn't put into words.

When he pulled back, he saw that her eyes were still closed. He smiled broadly as she slowly opened her eyes. He held her gaze and patiently waited for her to speak. After what felt like an eternity, she did.

"I love you," she said. His whole body flushed with relief, gratitude, affection, and pure love.

Adam wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up as they hugged. They both laughed. With her arms around his neck, Fiona leaned towards him and kissed him. As they continued to kiss Adam held her close and never wanted to let her go.

-oOo-

Rome wasn't built in a day. Neither Fiona nor Adam expected their relationship to be fixed overnight, but they had to start somewhere. They sat side by side in the study nook on the second floor. It was deserted and they had spent the rest of lunch alternating between talking and making out. Adam smiled as he stared into her eyes. He missed kissing her, but he certainly missed this more. Her eyes displayed the love she had for him, and more than anything that lifted him up.

Fiona felt her eyes begin to tear up. She missed him so much. The last two weeks had been incredibly painful, but she had to acknowledge they weren't out of the water yet.

"Adam, can you come by the condo after school? We should talk," she told him.

His heartbeat sped up a little, but he forced himself to remain calm. The hard part was over right? Fiona told him she loved him, they kissed, and he was sitting next to her right now. He squeezed her hand, "Of course. I'll be there," he assured her. "Do you want me to meet you by your locker?"

She nodded.

"Okay," he said. He pulled her closer and she rested her head on his shoulder. After a long moment he spoke. "I love you," he whispered softly.

Fiona instantly smiled. "I love you too," she said.

When the bell rang she did not want to go. She reluctantly sat up. Adam turned to look at her and smiled.

"Guess that's our cue to get out of here," he chuckled. It was pasta day and he had been looking forward to spaghetti, but this had been more satisfying that any food could be. However, his stomach betrayed him with a growl.

Fiona raised an eyebrow. "You didn't eat anything?"

He shrugged. "Who needs food? A wise man once said, 'all you need is love'," he joked.

Fiona shook her head amused. "Right," she said in jest. She reached into her bag. "It isn't much but it'll hold you over."

She handed him a mixed berry granola bar. "Thanks," Adam said. As they made their way to the door he felt a little awkward. They were back together right? Or would that be decided after they talked? He wasn't sure but he wanted to grab her hand, so he did.

Fiona smiled at the familiar feeling of his hand sliding against hers. Their fingers slowly entwined and she savored the skin to skin contact. It felt right.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Had trivia I was going to share about one scene, but I realized I shouldn't :-x

This story is not over yet, though its heading into the final arc. This chapter is a somewhat short. I had an additional scene at the end but I felt it would ruin the dramatic tension. Tonight I'm going to post the next installment. I'm also going to post a two-shot called "Wanted".

Thanks for reading! I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this story! I went having it complete at 19 pages, to expanding to 53! And I'm still working on the ending.


	12. In Waiting Line

"Radiate" – part 12

Summary and notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! As promised, here's today's second update!

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

Eli was nearly giddy as he approached Adam's locker. He had two pieces of great news to share. It was the end of the day and he was looking forward to grabbing some grub at the Dot.

"Adam!" he called. His friend stopped mid-action from unloading his books and turned. Eli grinned broadly. "Dude, this has been an awesome day!"

Adam looked at him and grinned. "You could say that again." He resumed putting the rest of his books away.

"I've got – drumroll please – FOUR new comic editions for us to check out at the Dot. And, guess who gave me her number today?" Eli was quite pleased with himself.

Adam raised an eyebrow.

"Come on, guess!" Eli pressed.

"Name starts with 'S' ends with 'y'?" Adam quipped.

Eli laughed. "Yep! I'm taking her out this Friday," he said excitedly. He and Adam bumped fists.

"That's awesome dude," Adam told him. He knew Eli really liked Stacy.

Eli sighed happily as he leaned against the locker next to Adam's. "So, hurry up! Let's get some burgers and celebrate!"

Adam paused.

"No! Don't tell me you have GLBT club duties," Eli said disappointed. "I mean, I know you're the President, but can't someone else do it?"

Adam laughed. "I don't."

"Oh," Eli said quickly. He was a little embarrassed at his outburst. Adam was his best friend but he was so busy this year. He always was happy whenever they could hang out like they used to.

"I'm meeting Fiona after school," Adam revealed.

Eli's eyes went wide with shock. "Really?" He clapped his best friend on the back. "This is major!"

Adam grinned proudly. "We're trying to work things out."

"Woo hoo!" Eli hollered. Adam gave him a scolding look, but couldn't hold it long before laughing. "So, how did this happen?"

Adam shrugged nonchalantly. "We spent lunch talking… and kissing."

"I knew it! It was just a matter of time!" Eli said happily. Adam shushed him.

He wished he could have Eli's confidence. He didn't want to get ahead of himself. He had a feeling that the talk they were having this afternoon would make or break them. "We'll have to see," Adam told him seriously.

"Wait, you think there's a chance that it won't work out?" Eli asked quietly.

Adam looked away. "I don't know. We're going to talk things through."

Eli suddenly felt nervous for his friend. When they broke up Fiona did say she loved him, but it wasn't enough.

"Anyway, I have to go. I'm meeting her at her locker," Adam said. "Catch you later!"

Eli nodded. "Good luck!"

-oOo-

Eli's parting words were burned into his mind as he walked to Fiona's locker. She was already there and seemed to be looking at a picture in her locker. As he came closer he saw that it was a picture of them, taken this summer in New York. Fiona was wearing a lovely dark red ball gown. He was wearing a black suit with a white vest. His hair was slicked back and he had one arm around her waist. They looked very happy.

He gulped.

"Adam?" Fiona said before turning around. She sensed his presence.

He smiled at her. "Hey. I didn't want to startle you."

She shook her head. "It's fine," she told him as she closed her locker. "Let's go."

They walked down the hallway and he held the door as they exited. Once outside he again took her hand.

They walked for a few blocks and caught a taxi on the street. Fiona suggested that they order food once upstairs, but Adam insisted on picking up something on the way. He was truly starving and pizza seemed like a great idea. They were all smiles as they headed upstairs.

"Shall we eat first, talk later?" Fiona teased.

Adam laughed. "How about we eat first, kiss later?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Someone's mighty confident."

"I'm just an optimist," he teased as he placed the food on the kitchen counter. Fiona came up beside him and smiled.

"Is that so?" she smirked.

Adam nodded. She was so close he could smell her perfume. "Absolutely." He leaned forward and kissed her. She eagerly followed his lead, moving her lips against his. After a long moment she pulled away.

Fiona cleared her throat. "Food?"

Adam looked at her and smiled. "Yeah, food."

When he was done with his second slice he frowned. It would have been better to slow down. Fiona only had one so she was already finished. Here they were sitting on the stools in kitchen after devouring Ray's Famous Pizza.

"That was pretty good," Fiona stated.

"Always is," he agreed. "It was perfect for a third date, right?"

Fiona laughed at the memory. "Yeah. Though it's more enjoyable when you're not sitting a few tables away from a toddler's birthday party."

Adam joined in with her laughter. Who throws a kid's birthday party at 8:30PM?

"So, do you want to talk on the couch?" Fiona asked as she stood up.

Right. The reason they came here. "Sure," Adam said and followed her to the couch. Fiona sat facing him, with one leg tucked under. Adam angled himself toward her and draped an arm over the back of the couch. "So, what do you want to discuss?"

Fiona took a deep breath. "Us."

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Had to cut it there because these two are overdue for a long talk. It will be in the next chapter :D

In other news, I just posted my story "Wanted". It's a two-shot, and I'm really excited because it's the first post-"How To Save A Life" fic that I've published so far! Feel free to check it out (yes, it's Fadam).


	13. Whatever It Takes

"Radiate" – part 13

Summary and notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Wow, up to lucky 13 (?)… Thanks for the reviews. And now without further ado… :D

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

Adam blinked. "Can you be more specific?" he joked. His heart was racing.

Despite herself she smiled. "I was really hurt by what happened with Bianca. I still love you but I'm not sure if it's possible to start over."

There it was, out in the open. She looked at him cautiously, but for once his expression was unreadable.

Adam felt like he had been punched in the gut. He wasn't sure how to respond. He took a deep breath and met her eyes. He thought a lot about what he would do if he got the chance to talk to her. While he didn't have a speech prepared, he knew he had to be willing to do whatever it took to convince her this time would be different.

"What leads you to question whether it's possible for us to start over?" he asked.

She sighed. "What we had was pretty amazing. I thought things were going great and then out of nowhere you kissed another girl."

He didn't like her talking about them in past tense. He had to show her they had a future. "You're right," he said. She looked at him. "Things were going great. The connection and chemistry between us is unlike anything I've ever experienced before. I made a mistake. A huge one," he told her.

"I get that you made a mistake, but admitting that doesn't magically fix everything," Fiona said frustrated. Guys came onto her all the time and never made a 'mistake' and cheated on him.

Adam sat up straighter. "I know it doesn't. I was an idiot and I betrayed your trust."

She nodded. He looked at her understanding dawning in his eyes.

"You can't trust me?" he said slowly.

Fiona looked at him confused. "Is that an admission?"

Adam smiled. "No. I mean, you _feel_ like you can't trust me?"

Fiona thought about it.

"We need to be completely honest with each other if this is going to work," Adam pressed. "I can take it."

"After all this, I don't think you'll kiss another girl again," Fiona admitted. "But I don't know if I trust us. I feel like we what we had might be tainted and the harder we try to get it back the more apparent it will be that we can't."

Adam considered her words. "So, let's start over. From here on out."

She smiled sadly. "I don't think it's that simple."

He moved closer towards her. "We have to try." He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm not willing to give up on us. I love you too much."

Fiona closed her eyes as a tear made its way down her cheek. Adam gently wiped it away. After a long moment she opened her eyes. She found him looking at her with open affection. The minutes passed as they stared at each other. Suddenly he leaned away, while keeping eye contact.

"I think you should know what happened," he said quietly.

She paused. She wasn't expecting him to say that but she knew he was right. They couldn't move on until everything was out in the open. Fiona nodded. "I need you to tell me truth… even if it's painful to say."

Adam took a deep breath, resigned to his fate. "I will."

He turned away from her and faced forward. "We had just finished practice in the studio. I sat down. I was on the couch. She came towards me. I should have moved, but I didn't."

Adam looked down. It hurt him to tell her this. He just wanted to forget, but he knew they could never truly move forward and repair the damage done to their relationship if he wasn't honest. Right now in this moment, he had a choice to make. He could do what was easy or he could do what was right.

He took a deep breath.

"We locked eyes and I realized she didn't hate me." He hated how that sounded. "Then she kissed me."

He darted his eyes towards Fiona. Her expression was unreadable but he could tell from her body language that she was upset. She sat stiffly. What if this made things worse between them? He shook the thought away and pressed onward.

"I pulled her towards me and we kissed for awhile," Adam continued.

Fiona felt like her heart was breaking all over again. She knew that Adam and Bianca had made out, but hearing the details directly from him made her hurt all over again. She was trying to be strong, but what if she was wrong about this? If she couldn't forgive Adam's betrayal where did that leave them?

"We pulled apart. She wanted to continue but I said no. Then I left," he finished. He waited for her response. The room was still and he wondered if he just destroyed any chance of them getting back together.

Fiona's head was swimming. Adam had been honest and didn't spare her the details, just like she asked him to. She didn't know what to think about all of this. '_She wanted to continue but I said no_.' Bianca wanted to sleep with him but he turned her down. That was something right? She scoffed. It wasn't nearly enough.

Adam looked up at the noise. His eyes found hers. The last time they had a conversation about this betrayal Adam looked guilty and desperate. This time he didn't shy away from her gaze. He had the look of the man who had bore his soul and was prepared to deal with the consequences of what was said — good or bad. Fiona had to admit, he looked stronger. She respected that about him in this moment. He didn't have any excuses. He looked determined to do whatever it took to make things right.

However, Fiona wasn't sure what that would entail. Right now, she felt numb.

"Adam," she said after what felt like an eternity. "I need time to think."

He nodded, understanding her unspoken request. He turned to her, "There's something else you should know."

Fiona looked at him, her eyes filled with dread.

"I spoke with Bianca today," he told her. "Nothing happened. She wanted to talk."

"That's a first," Fiona quipped. Unlike other girls, she didn't feel the need to start a feud with Bianca, but there was no love lost between them.

"For her it is," he agreed. "But I found out why she kissed me. She didn't do it 'just because'. She has feelings for me. She has for quite awhile."

Fiona was genuinely surprised. "What about K.C.?"

Adam shrugged. "I don't know," he said honestly. "I told her I already gave my heart away to somebody else, and she'll always have it whether she forgives me or not." He paused. "Anyway, I know you have a lot to think about, but I thought you should know."

He stood up. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "When you know, let me know," he said softly.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: I seriously love the song "Whatever It Takes" by Lifehouse. It's amazing :D

Anyway, what do you think? Does full disclosure seem like a good or a bad idea?

Will update soon-ish!


	14. How Soon Is Now?

"Radiate" – part 14

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

When he got to the elevator he started to cry. What if she decided it was too much? Or that it was easier to start over with somebody new? He wiped his eyes. He did all he could do. When he got outside he saw he had a text from Eli.

_** Hope everything is alright. Call me – Eli G. **_

He shoved his phone back in his jacket. He wasn't in any shape to talk right now. His mind replayed his conversation with Fiona, looking for bits of hope or signs of despair to come.

When he got home his eyes were red. He kept wiping them during his ride home on the streetcar. He wanted to head straight to his room but he was relieved to see Drew sitting in the living room.

"Adam, what's wrong?" Drew asked concerned.

"Can we talk upstairs?"

Drew darted his eyes around the room, looking for their mother. "Sure," he said, thankful she was nowhere to be found.

"What happened?" he asked as he shut to door to Adam's room.

"I went to Fiona's after school."

Drew smiled. "That's good… right?"

Adam shrugged. "She wanted to talk."

"Did you?" Drew asked skeptically.

"Yeah."

"Just talk?" he pressed.

Adam sighed. "Well, we ate some food. And we shared a kiss—"

"A ha!" Drew said triumphantly. He always knew when Adam was withholding details.

"We had a long talk about whether or not we can salvage our relationship," Adam said seriously.

Drew looked at him alarmed. "Oh man, don't tell me…"

"She's still deciding," Adam told him.

Drew sighed relieved. "Okay, you scared me for a moment."

"I told her what happen with Bianca."

Drew frowned. "All of it?"

Adam nodded. "All of it."

"Do you _want_ her to dump you for good? _Why_ would you tell her that? Girls can't handle that level of detail! It's deny, deny, minimize!" he argued. Adam may be 'the smart one' but his IQ was certainly higher with it came to girls. When will his brother ever learn?

Adam looked at him confused. "If we're going to start over then we need to start with full honesty."

"Hey, I promote honestly," Drew said. Adam rolled his eyes. "But there's a difference between honesty and cruelty." Seriously, why would his girlfriend want to hear about his makeout session with another girl?

"Right, and it was so much kinder for Alli to learn about the blowjob directly from Bianca instead of hearing it from you?" Adam fired back. Drew blinked and he instantly felt bad. It wasn't fair to throw that incident in his older brother's face. Drew was only trying to help him. "I'm sorry."

Drew looked at him. "Do you feel better now that you got that out?" he said calmly.

Adam sighed. "No. I shouldn't have said that."

"Damn right," Drew muttered. "Good luck with Fiona. I think you'll need it." He turned away from Adam and left the room.

Adam stood in his room more uncertain that ever.

-oOo-

Adam frowned as he opened his eyes. There was a light beeping noise that had awoken him. He peered at the alarm clock with squinted eyes. It had yet to go off. There was still a minute to go. He rolled over and snuggled close to his pillow.

"BEEP BEEP BEEP!" he heard suddenly.

He sat up groggily and reached for the alarm clock. The past two weeks he pressed snoozed multiple times but this time he turned it off. The earlier noise made him more alert. He looked down at the nightstand and noticed his phone showed a new message. It was from Fiona. His heart sped up as he opened it.

_** "For what human ill does not dawn seem to be an alleviation?" - Thornton Wilder – Fiona C. **_

Adam laughed heartily, feeling immensely relieved. For the first time in two weeks he woke up with a text from Fiona about the morning. After texting her back he jumped out of the bed. He could hardly wait to get to school. He went to the closet and picked out his clothes with more consideration than usual.

-oOo-

He was filled with nervous energy while he waited on the steps for her to arrive. He held a soy mocha latte in his hand. It wasn't as warm as he wanted it to be because he had walked to the shop and back. Still he had gotten to Degrassi quite early. He watched idly as students began to arrive. Ten minutes later he saw Clare walking towards the school. She was on the student council and regularly arrived for meetings before classes started.

"Hey!" she said warmly as she made her way up the steps. "What are you doing out here?" She hoped he wasn't trying to ambush Fiona, though at this point she was out of ideas of how to bring them together.

Adam smiled as he told her, "I'm waiting for someone."

She studied him. "Hmm, perched on the steps, with a latte in hand. I wonder who you're waiting for."

Adam shrugged. "We're trying to work things out."

She smiled and gave him a hug. "I hope you guys do," she said sincerely.

"Me too." As he watched her go inside the building he had a good feeling about today.

Another ten minutes later he spotted Eli coming from the student parking lot. The older boy glared at him, before softening into a crooked smile. "So, what's this all about?" he said as he took a seat next to Adam on the steps.

Adam put his comic down. "I'm waiting for her," he said simply.

"You know, you never messaged me back," Eli started. Their last conversation left him worried.

"I know," Adam said guiltily. "I wasn't in the mood to talk."

"And today?" Eli questioned.

"I got a text message from Fiona this morning," Adam told him.

Eli smiled broadly. He couldn't be happier for his friends. He stood up. "Tell me what happens."

"I will," Adam promised.

They bumped fists.

Five minutes later he saw Fiona exit a taxi in front of the building. He quickly rose to his feet and smoothed his hair.

When she saw Adam, Fiona instantly smiled. They locked eyes as she stood at the bottom of the stairs. He waited, grinning broadly as she came towards him.

Yesterday had been an emotional roller coaster. She went from scared and worried, to elated and happy, to calm and questioning – and back again. After Adam left she spent a long time thinking things over. She still cared about Adam, and clearly he still cared about her. There had been a lot of hurt feelings over the past two weeks. She wondered if it was possible to be happily together again, but every time she looked into his eyes she found her answer.

"Good morning," they said at the same time. They both laughed shyly.

"This is for you," Adam said as he handed her the latte.

"You shouldn't have," she teased.

He chuckled. "It's probably a bit cold. I got it sooner than I should have. I wanted to make sure I didn't miss you," he rambled.

Fiona smiled at him. "It's okay." She took a sip and nodded in approval. It was better than flowers. "Shall we?"

Adam grinned. "Let's." He reached for her hand and led the way inside.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! More Fadam (and reactions) to come :D


	15. All I Want

"Radiate" – part 15

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Notes: Glad I uploaded this last night. Now I can post it without having to travel home first, lol. Enjoy! Thanks for the reviews!

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

She was slightly nervous for lunch. Everyone knew they had broken up, and it was a rather nasty break up. She cringed when she thought of screaming at him in the halls. At the time she thought he fully deserved it, but in hindsight it was kind of embarrassing to live down.

'_Yeah, lunch is going to suck_,' she thought. She took a deep breath as she waited for him outside the doors. After a couple of minutes she spotted him coming towards her.

Adam had a bright smile when he saw Fiona. "Hey Fi!"

She laughed, seeing him so happy. "Hi Adam," she told him as he pulled her into a hug.

"Ready to go inside?" he asked. He was a little nervous but more excited than anything.

Fiona hesitated. "We could go to the Dot," she suggested.

Adam studied her. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Well… you know we're going to get stares," she said bluntly.

He smiled reassuringly at her. "I know. But we can't avoid the cafeteria forever. We could try but then we'd end up _really_ skinny," he joked.

"Adam," she sighed.

He looked at her. He didn't want to push her if she wasn't ready. "If you don't want to go, then we won't," he told her. "But gossip shouldn't be a reason not to. Everything eventually dies down, remember?"

She gave him a small smile. Her words were as true as the first day she spoke them.

Adam leaned forward and kissed her. He rested his hands on her waist. Fiona leaned into his embrace as they continued to kiss. Several moments later they pulled apart. Adam rested his forehead on hers. There were a handful of people around but he didn't care who saw them kiss. She was his, and he was hers.

"Are you ready go inside?" he smirked.

She laughed and pulled away from him. She then grabbed his hand, "_Andiamo_!"

The lunch line moved quickly and in no time they had their trays. Adam followed Fiona to their usual table.

"Adam!" a voice called out.

He looked up to see a couple of guys from the comic book club gesturing that they had room at their table. He ate lunch with them yesterday and they had a long discussion the series FreakAngels. Adam shook his head letting them know he was going to sit elsewhere.

He looked away and placed his tray on the table, next to Fiona's. When he sat down she turned to him and smiled.

"Friends of yours?" she teased.

He looked deeply into her eyes. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be," he confessed.

Fiona blushed. He wanted to kiss her again. Instead, he settled for giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Thank you," he told her.

She raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For not giving up on us," he answered sincerely. If she had told him 'no' he didn't know what he would have done. He wanted her in his life. She was the one for him. He understood that in a way he hadn't before. He hated that he hurt her, but in a weird way he felt that what they went through would make them stronger in the long run. They _could_ be with other people, but they were _choosing_ to be with each other.

Fiona stared into his eyes and shrugged, "I love you too much."

Adam had a silly grin on his face as he leaned towards her. "I love you, Fiona."

"A-hem!" they heard loudly.

They turned towards the source of the noise and found Eli, Clare, and Alli standing in front of them with huge smiles.

"Is it safe to sit here? If not, we'll find other accommodations," Eli said in jest.

Adam and Fiona shared a look.

"Actually," Adam started. It would be nice to eat lunch with just her. He adored his friends but he didn't want to answer a million questions today.

Clare smiled knowingly at the couple. "Tomorrow then," she said brightly. She and Alli grinned at them before leaving to find another table.

"Seriously, man? That's cold," Eli commented. He was the lone holdout.

Adam shrugged. "Alex and George were talking about FreakAngels yesterday."

Eli grinned as he shook his head. "I'll remember this!" he quipped before heading over to their mutual acquaintances.

Fiona turned to Adam. "That was a little harsh," she noted, though she was more than happy to be alone with him.

Adam took her hand and began drawing circles into her palm. She giggled. "All I want is to be with you," he told her. He didn't care how selfish it sounded, it was his truth.

-oOo-

"Seriously?" Dave sighed annoyed.

"What's wrong?" Wesley asked him. His question drew the attention of Connor and Jess.

"When did those two get back together?" he asked disappointed. He pointed to Adam and Fiona. They sat close to each other at a table alone, alternating between eating and staring into each other's eyes.

Connor shrugged. "I don't know, but they seem pretty happy." Wesley nodded in agreement.

Dave scowled. "I was waiting for the two week mark to make my move. All those other cats bombarded her too close to the split."

"But he's a fellow teammate," Connor noted. Dave and Adam were both on the basketball team.

"That didn't stop him for going after K.C.'s girl. All's fair in love and war," Dave dismissed him. "I don't get it. What does she see in Adam anyway?"

Jess snorted. "Are you serious?"

Dave looked at her. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

The sophomore rolled her eyes. She didn't really like Dave. He tried too hard and she found his arrogance off-putting. If it wasn't for Wesley she wouldn't even be at this table. He was her partner for English class. She didn't have time to meet up after school this week, so instead they worked on their project during lunch or free periods. They split up the days and today she was stuck with his friends.

"Let me spell it out for you, Fiona Coyne is definitely out of your league," she told him.

This time Dave snorted. "She's dating Adam. How can she be out of my league?"

"You're not as popular as Adam," Jess argued.

"That's true," Wesley agreed innocently. He always liked Adam. They got to know each other when Adam joined the science club last year. No offense to Dave, but these days he was certain more people knew who Adam Torres was than Dave Turner.

"Are you kidding? He's a junior and I'm a junior. He's on the basketball team, and I'm on the basketball team," Dave countered.

"He's well liked and is highly visible as a president of a club. He's also associated with Drew and Fiona which definitely raises his stock," she told him. Dave was about to interject with a snide comment but she continued. "And most girls in this school think he's hot."

Dave laughed. "Most girls think_ he's_ hot? He's not even a guy… technically."

Jess shrugged. "Adam is attractive, confident, outgoing, and he's kept Fiona happy for eight months."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Dave questioned. He didn't see how the length of time he dated Fiona had anything to do with Adam's supposed 'hotness'.

This time Jess laughed. "They've been going out for eight months. You really think all they've done is hold hands? I mean, he _lived _with her over the summer."

Dave thought about it. Seeing Adam and Fiona kiss in the halls wasn't exactly a rare occurrence. Still he couldn't wrap his head around the idea. "You're wrong," he refuted.

Jess shook her head at his immature reaction. He asked and she honestly answered his question. In her opinion, Adam's personality attracted way more people than Dave ever could. Adam was genuine and kind. Unlike Dave, he wasn't trying to be anything other than who he was.

-oOo-

"I thought I'd find you out here," K.C. told her. He took out a cigarette. "You got a light?"

Bianca nodded as she reached into her pocket for a lighter. She grabbed it and handed it to him. "Just wanted some fresh air."

K.C. smirked.

They stood in silence for a long moment. "Don't feel bad for me," she finally said.

He simply looked at her.

"I guess the lesson is you can't treat people like dirt and expect them to somehow like you back." She took a long drag of her cigarette.

"Or that timing sucks," he suggested. He returned her lighter.

She turned and looked at him. "You really think timing could have made any difference?"

K.C. shrugged. "I see something there between you two," he admitted. "But he's over the moon for Fiona."

She contemplated his words for a long moment. She then dropped her cigarette on the ground and crushed it with her boot. "Maybe it's a bit of both."

She gave him one last parting glance before heading inside.

.

tbc


	16. Figure It Out

"Radiate" – part 16

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews! I've been looking forward to posting this part. Here is a nice, lengthy chapter! After referencing the GLBT club like 500 million times, President Adam finally makes an appearance :D

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

Drew was brooding. He didn't want to, but he was. Despite their argument yesterday, he was truly happy for his brother. However, seeing Adam and Fiona reunited was a bitter reminder of how he wasn't so lucky with Alli. He really liked her and genuinely felt awful for breaking her heart. They had both moved on since then and had dated other people, but the way their relationship ended had changed him in his core. He had something special with her that could have grown into love, but his actions ruin it. Sometimes you couldn't get a do over so you have to be careful the first time.

He idly wondered if Adam was right. If he had fully disclosed what happened could he have salvaged the relationship? In his heart, he felt the answer was no. He had strayed too far. Still he couldn't help but feel a bit jealous that it had worked out for Adam.

Drew looked across the room and his eyes settled on Alli. She was talking excitedly to her friend Clare. He smiled wistfully. Knowing her had made him a better man. The next time he found a special girl he would be careful with her heart.

He glanced at his brother. Adam and Fiona were still in their own little world, smiling at each other and laughing. He wanted what they had for himself someday. Because of his brother, he knew if he wanted lasting love he had to be willing to fight for it.

Drew laughed at himself. He had been classified as player and here was musing about love! He shrugged. Days like today were few and far in between so he gave himself permission to let his mind wander.

When the bell rang he was one of the first students out of the cafeteria. He waited by the doors for Adam. About a minute later he spotted his brother with Fiona, strolling at a leisurely pace.

"Don't you have a class to get to?" he yelled. He chuckled at Adam's startled expression.

"Very mature, Andrew," Adam grumbled.

"It's not my fault you get spooked so easily," he grinned. He looked at Fiona. "Hey."

Fiona smiled at him. "Hi Drew." It was first time they had really spoken in two weeks. She assumed it would be awkward but Drew's silly grin dissipated any lingering tension.

Drew looked at Adam. "So, is there anything you want to tell me?" he pressed.

Adam glanced at Fiona and laughed. "Um, yeah. We're working things out." Drew had left early for practice this morning and Adam elected to find his own way to school so that he could grab a drink for Fiona from her favorite coffee shop. The brothers hadn't spoken since their argument last night.

Drew smirked. "I could tell that much at lunch, as could anyone else who was there."

Fiona shrugged. "Well, I guess it beats issuing a press release."

All three of them laughed.

-oOo-

The day moved quickly. Before he knew it his last class had ended and Adam found himself standing beside Fiona at her locker.

"Stop pouting!" Fiona teased him.

"I'm not!" he protested. Okay, maybe he was brooding a little. Fiona was heading home and he had to stay for another hour and a half.

She closed her locker and turned to face him fully. "Today was a good day."

Adam smiled brightly as he nodded in agreement. "Fortunately it's not over yet."

She grinned. "See you back at the condo?"

"Absolutely," he told her.

Adam gave her one last kiss before heading down the hallway. He was so happy he felt like he was floating on air. He was still smiling as he walked into the club. Half the members were already there. There were a few pockets of conversations but everyone turned to look at him when he entered.

"So is it true?" Alicia smirked.

Adam raised an eyebrow at his vice president. Word had spread quickly about them. She interpreted the action as a 'yes'.

"How the hell did you do that?" she said amused. Her brown eyes were wide. After two weeks she had begun to lose hope for them. He was one lucky bastard. Fiona Coyne was hot!

"Hey!" Adam replied feigning hurt.

Sanjay walked over to him and smiled. "I'm happy for you guys," the freshman said sincerely.

Adam grinned as the rest of them nodded in agreement. "Thanks." It had been a rough couple of weeks but somehow he and Fiona had found their way back to each other.

"Don't screw it up!" Nicki Foster teased. "I doubt you'll get a second chance," she added more seriously. The junior had witnessed the locker incident and deduced pissing off Fiona was a really bad move.

Adam shook his head. "Believe me, I won't!" He shuddered at the thought of losing her again. He knew his priorities and if another girl so much as leaned in his direction he would jump a few steps back.

"So, when are you going to update your FaceRange statuses?" Yusuf Ahmad asked steering the conversation towards lighter fare.

Adam thought about it. He did hate seeing her listed as single but they had just gotten back together. "We're taking things slow," he told him.

"Right, that seems like a good idea," Yusuf agreed.

Nicki and Alicia shared a look.

"Ha! That just means you haven't had sex yet," Nicki threw her head back as she laughed. Her black and pink Mohawk didn't move in the slightest.

Adam rolled his eyes annoyed. "No, it means we're taking things slow."

"Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner," Alicia teased. Nicki gave her a high five.

"Hey, leave him alone," Yusuf told them.

"Thank you. You're a true friend," Adam said as he gave Alicia and Nicki stern looks.

"Although, you guys have a point," Yusuf continued. "Adam usually has a pep in his step. Won't be long until we see that again!"

They all laughed, with the exception of Rosalee who wasn't pleased to catch the tail end of their conversation. Adam had a small smile but after a moment he motioned for them to quiet down.

"Okay, we're not discussing this," he announced. Alicia and Nicki pouted. "We have a lot to cover in today's meeting. It looks like everyone is here so let's start."

Sanjay handed him the notes from the last meeting.

"Thanks," Adam told him. "We have a bunch of events coming up. There's the lecture this Saturday with David Burrow, queer activist and filmmaker. I know a few of you weren't wild about having it on the weekend, but we've got some great snacks lined up and we're going to screen his latest film afterward."

"Yeah!" Nicki cheered. She was a fan of his work.

"We could still use a few more volunteers, so if you're free Saturday morning please let either myself or Alicia know," Adam continued. "Coming up next is our monthly pizza lunch, also known as Show Your Colors. It's confirmed we're having it next Wednesday in the gymnasium during periods 5 and 6."

The group applauded loudly.

"Awesome, man! Do you think Mr. Simpson will wear a tie?" a fellow junior named Christopher asked.

They all chuckled.

"Maybe," Adam grinned. Show Your Colors day led to him being nominated for president last year. The event was his idea. Every month the club sponsored lunch for its members. Adam expanded it to include anyone who wore an item with the colors of the rainbow, whether it be a shirt or a bracelet. They limited the menu to pizza to make it cost effective. The occasion was a hit with students and now required a larger venue. Event day was filled with positivity as students looked forward to free food and good music. It was a joy for them to see the school awash in pride colors. Last month Adam wore a rainbow tie and he gave one to Principal Simpson as a gift.

"Also, in a few weeks we have the rally to plan," Adam added. "Let's go through the details for Saturday's event first."

-oOo-

Adam could barely contain his excitement as he reached Fiona's door. The day was finally over and they could spend uninterrupted time together away from prying eyes. He knocked twice, and anxiously shifted on his feet as he waited. A few moments later the door opened.

Fiona barely had time to say hello before Adam crashed his lips onto hers. They stumbled into the apartment pressed together and kissing furiously. Adam kicked the door closed without missing a beat. This caused her to chuckle.

"Wow, that was intense," she remarked. He still held her closely in his arms with their faces just inches apart.

"Uh huh," he agreed before leaning in for another smoldering kiss. Fiona kissed back for a long moment before pulling away.

"Let me get the door," she told him. He watched her as she locked it. She turned around and raised an eyebrow at him as she walked by, heading towards the living room. Adam smiled and follow suit.

-oOo-

Fiona giggled as she pulled away from him. She used her hands as support to reach a partially upright position. Adam beckoned her to lie back down but she playfully pushed his arms away. They were sprawled out on the couch, where they had been for the past hour or so.

"You're not hungry?" she asked.

He gave her a devilish grin. "Nope. Not for food."

She laughed. "Well, the shop is closed," she teased as she got up from the couch. Adam quickly sat up and reached for her waist. They laughed as she fell back and landed in his lap.

"I'm not letting you get away from me that easily," he said in a joking manner, but his eyes were serious. Fiona leaned towards him. He stared at her lips for a moment before closing the space between them. His tongue eagerly explored her mouth, once again igniting the passion between them.

Fiona was on fire as their kiss deepened further. She ran her hands down his back, craving the feel of his body. Adam dipped his hand under the hem of her shirt, caressing the soft skin of her stomach. She let out a moan, enjoying his touch. Emboldened, his hands continued to wander. He reached up and gently cupped her breast. Remembering herself, Fiona suddenly pulled away.

Adam furrowed his brows. "Is everything alright?" he asked concerned.

She nodded, still breathing heavily. "I'm fine… it's just that we're supposed to be taking it slow," she reminded him. "This isn't slow."

Adam sighed, understanding what she was getting at. "Right," he said. He did his best to hide his disappointment.

She took his hands in hers. "We could watch a movie. Grab some food. Play crosswords. But sex is a no-go," she explained. "For now."

Adam quickly nodded. "No, I agree." He felt a little sheepish. He did practically jump her from the time she opened the door. He was just so happy to be with her again that he got swept away.

She studied him closely. "Are you okay with that?"

"Of course!" he assured her. "It's been a crazy two weeks. You're right that we shouldn't go from zero to sixty." Ah, car references. Anything to provide emotional distance from the fact that he very much wanted to rip her clothes off and have his way with her.

Fiona gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. "Thanks for being understanding, Prince Adam."

He smiled at her. "Thank you for _everything_, Princess Fiona."

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Hey there! I'm sure this chapter made it clearer, but I want to address the triangle!

At the beginning of this story Fadam was broken up. In chapter 10, "Resolution", Adam made his choice between Bianca and Fiona. In subsequent chapters Fiona was deciding whether or not to give Adam another chance. In chapter 14, "How Soon Is Now?" it was revealed that she decided to get back together.

In this story Adam is the main character but it features the POVs of several other characters, including Bianca and Fiona (also Eli, Clare, Drew, K.C., etc). Though the triangle has been resolved I won't banish Bianca from the story. I think she's an interesting character and I think it's natural that her feelings for Adam didn't go away overnight (as seen in the previous chapter).

Okay, this is a very long author's note but I hope it clears up confusion about the direction of this fic. It's evolved for sure, because the first scene in chapter 11 was the original ending, but I decided to expand it and write in reactions.

Thanks for reading! FYI, I do have a couple of purely Badam fics, including one that I aim to update in due course.

_Off Topic: Posting a new fic either tonight or tomorrow called "Bare". It takes place after "Wanted"! It's a Fadam future fic!_


	17. Go With The Flow

"Radiate" – part 17

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

For Day Two he decided to surprise her with chocolates instead of a latte. He was starting to feel cramps coming on. He estimated he had about three or four days before his period would start. They spent so much time together that their cycles were synced up, so he figured this gesture would be appreciated more.

Last night he spent a lot of time thinking about his time with her at the Condo. While he enjoyed kissing her and holding her in his arms, he wished he hadn't come on so strong. After their make out session ended they played a card game and ordered Indian food. He loved every second of being with her. When he left they kissed again, albeit for a short while, and she didn't seem troubled at all. But he was disappointed he had broken one of their new ground rules on day one.

"Ooh, are those for me?" Clare teased.

Adam looked up startled to see her. "Hey. When did you get here?"

She laughed. "I completely waved before coming over," she told him. "Anyway, those look good!" She pointed to the box of Russell Stover's chocolates on his lap.

"They're for Fiona," he informed her. "Can't wait to eat half," he added absently.

Clare chuckled amused. "So _that's_ why you bought them?"

He gave her a look. "Har, har."

She sat down next to him on the steps. "So, what prompted chocolates?" she asked curiously.

Adam looked off to the side as he thought of an answer. "Just thought I'd get sweets for my sweetie," he grinned.

Clare raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you're smooth."

They shared a laugh.

"Is everything okay?" Clare asked after she recovered. She wanted to know how yesterday went for him and Fiona.

"Yes. Everything is more than okay," Adam assured her. It was like her to continue to worry.

"Good!" she smiled broadly. After a moment she added, "You know, if you guys need help finishing those let me know. I'm craving chocolate around this time."

Adam gave her a look. Who wouldn't? He wasn't buying her sympathy ploy. "Aren't you late for some meeting?"

Clare frowned at him and checked her watch. "You're lucky that I actually am at the moment," she told him.

Adam laughed as he watched her go.

-oOo-

Adam chuckled as Fiona handed him back the box, for the third time. When she arrived this morning she gave him a hug and immediately noticed it. She was delighted by the gift and once they got to her locker she opened it to sample a piece. That was a few minutes ago and by now she had already eaten five pieces.

"I'm serious. You can hold on to them. They're not on the same level as Swiss chocolate but I have no willpower today," Fiona lamented.

"Are you sure?" he asked her. "Maybe you could keep it in your locker?"

She snorted. "Nope, I'd be making additional trips here in between classes."

Adam looked at her amused. She was having a neurotic moment but she was completely adorable. He wanted to kiss her but held back.

"Hey, this is funny to you?" she said feigning offense. "Is this part of your plan? Fatten me up to keep the other boys away?"

Adam laughed. "That's not what I intended but…"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" she laughed as she closed her locker. They proceeded to walk to her first class. "Thanks the gift," she said sincerely.

He looked into her eyes. "I just wanted to make you smile."

"Mission accomplished," she grinned.

"Awesome," he chuckled and squeezed her hand. He loved this girl. Just being with her moved him unlike anything else. He was infinitely happier than he was the past two weeks just walking down the hallway, holding her hand. He treasured seeing laughter in her eyes, hearing the sound of her voice, and the touch of her skin.

Fiona grinned as she looked at Adam. There were definitely advantages to having a FTM boyfriend. He understood her moods and had an excellent sense of what a girl wanted around this time. Though she suspected he was going to devour quite a bit of the chocolates by lunch. They could laugh about the little stuff now but it took them awhile to get to this level of comfort.

He had been mortified the first time she discovered he was on his period. They were just friends at the time and had been leaving a restaurant. He was wiping his hands and she offered to grab his wallet from his bag. She placed it on the table but was intrigued by a unique looking metal case. "What's this?" she had asked curiously as she opened it. She missed his relaxed expression change into one of horror when she got a look at the contents. She was unfazed, it was only tampons, but he avoided her for three days!

Nowadays this stuff didn't bother him. He still didn't like for her to borrow his stash, but only because it was awkward whenever he had to buy more. He was counting down the days until he wouldn't need them anymore. After about six months of testosterone injections menstruation usually ceased. He had a few more months to go. She was happy for him but it would certainly be the end of an era.

"I believe this is your stop," Adam said playfully, interrupting her thoughts.

Fiona looked around. Indeed she was outside her Social Studies class. "I'll see you at lunch," she told him.

He kissed her on the cheek. "See you then!"

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: I've been eating a lot of chocolate the past couple of days, lol. In my defense, our office received a gift basket with treats and it's been completely decimated. First to go were the Christmas cookies, followed by the cherry and blueberry chocolates (those were SO good!).

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the fluff with a bit of backstory on the side! Fiona and Adam deserve a break from the drama :D

Thanks for the reviews!


	18. Inquiring Minds

"Radiate" – part 18

Summary and notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Haha, the last part made me want more chocolate too! Maybe I'll bake some cookies today…

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

"So?" Eli asked in a drawn out exaggerated tone.

Adam did his best to ignore him. They were in their study nook on the second floor. Every since he got there Eli had been trying to get details out of him. Right now he wanted to focus on math because last week he had fallen behind.

"You know, if you'd answer my questions then I wouldn't have any more to ask," Eli reasoned. He was having a field day teasing Adam.

Adam gave him a look. "Fine."

Eli raised his eyebrows. "Fine?"

Adam nodded. "You get three questions then we focus on work. No do-overs!"

Eli paused to consider the terms of this agreement. "I suppose that's fair."

Adam shrugged. "Well?"

"You went to Fiona's condo yesterday, right?" Eli asked.

"Yes," Adam answered.

The older boy smirked at him. "What do you guys do?"

Adam paused, for dramatic effect. "We played a card game." He was under no obligation to tell him more than one activity.

Eli furrowed his brows. "That's it? Did you guys hook up?"

Adam struggled to hide his smirk. "No. And I don't have to answer the last one because your three questions have been used up. Thanks for playing the game!"

Eli scoffed. "You totally played me!" He had to admit, Adam was crafty when he wanted to be.

This time Adam's smirk was on full display. "Don't hate the player, hate the game," he quipped.

Eli glared at him. Of course he had more questions but he figured he'd save them for lunch. He wouldn't be able to escape and Alli would provide excellent back up.

-oOo-

Owen leaned against the lockers outside the entrance to the cafeteria. He was waiting for his buddy Dan Hayes to arrive. He owed him money. While he didn't play football, the junior was a likeminded fellow. He was also a big guy who played a varsity sport – wrestling. He wasn't afraid to speak his mind and knock some heads around if he felt like it. The younger boy reminded him of Fitz, before he went soft.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed. He hated waiting. Knowing Dan he probably was held up by a teacher who wanted a word. Owen smirked.

He looked up, deciding to people watch to pass the time.

He noticed Jenna Middleton entering the cafeteria with head cheerleader Marisol Lewis. His eyes lingered on them until they were out of view. Both girls were hot. Next he noticed a bunch of guys from the basketball team entering. This failed to hold his interest. Instead he glanced further down the hall and spotted K.C. Guthrie, Bianca's ex, walking with Drew Torres.

He narrowed his eyes. He didn't like either one. As they approached the entrance they veered off to the side. Owen hadn't noticed Adam Torres standing near the doors. Drew grinned at his brother and they bumped fists.

"Handle that," he overheard Drew say after glancing quickly in the opposite direction. Owen traced his previous line of sight and saw Fiona Coyne walking towards the cafeteria.

Owen immediately perked up. He quickly reviewed one-liners in his head. '_Might as well give it another shot_,' he thought. Her verbal smack down the other day had been brutal, but he knew eventually he would wear her down. It was only a matter of time. Just as he considered stepping forward she suddenly smiled brightly and quickened her pace.

"What the hell?" he said to himself as he saw Adam walking towards her, also smiling. His features twisted into a frown when he saw them embrace. Once they pulled apart Adam grabbed her hand and they walked inside.

"Hey man!" Owen heard. He looked up to see his friend, Dan coming towards him.

"When did Torres and Fiona get back together?" Owen asked with disgust.

Dan shrugged, which caused his stringy brown hair sway. "I think yesterday."

"And you didn't tell me?" Owen yelled annoyed.

Dan laughed. "Whoa, I don't keep up with gossip. That's kind of faggy," he declared. "Overheard some cheerleaders talking about it this morning."

Owen looked off to the side. He was more confused than ever. In what world would a girl like that pick a tranny over him?

-oOo-

"Don't worry, I didn't forget it. It's in my backpack," Adam assured her as they moved down the lunch line.

"If you're embarrassed by how many you've eaten, don't be!" Fiona joked. "I knew you couldn't resist."

He looked at her amused. "That's it, you've figure me out!"

They shared a laugh.

"You know, even though it's like 3 degrees Celsius outside, maybe we should have braved the cold and gone to the Dot," Fiona lamented. "This meatloaf looks scary."

Adam grinned at her. "First, 3 degrees isn't cold. Brace yourself for a real Canadian winter," he teased her. "And second, we promised our friends we'd join them for lunch today."

"Oh yeah," she shrugged. They both glanced at the door. It was tempting to grab a nice burger instead, but they would barely have time to enjoy it before having to rush back for their next class.

Adam held up his pinkie. "Tomorrow?"

She smiled. It had been years since she did a pinkie swear. "Tomorrow," she agreed. She wrapped her pinkie around his and they shook on it.

-oOo-

"Wow, you're here early!" Alli remarked as she sat down at their usual table. Clare was right behind her.

Eli smirked, "Well, the early bird catches the worm."

Clare chuckled. "Could you be any more obvious?"

He shrugged. "Adam has been dodging my inquiries all day. Now he'll finally be cornered," he smiled victoriously.

"That level of obsession is a little scary," Alli teased.

Eli waved her off. "Come on, don't pretend you aren't curious as to what caused Fiona's change of heart."

Alli paused. "Maybe because she loves him," she said artfully sideswiping the accusation.

He snorted. "Well played, Bhandari."

Clare sighed. She spotted Adam and Fiona leaving the lunch line with their trays. They were so happy they practically glowed. "Can you guys quit it? They're on their way. Let's just have a normal lunch?" she suggested. Before either could respond the couple reached the table.

"Hey guys!" Fiona and Adam greeted their friends as they placed their trays on the table. Adam pulled out her chair and waited for her to sit before taking a seat.

"_Merci_," she told him with a smile.

"_Je t'en prie_," he told as he looked into her eyes. "_Entre deux coeurs qui s'aiment, nul besoin de paroles_," he whispered.

Fiona blushed.

Clare smiled at them. She had to admit, that was smooth indeed.

"English please?" Eli quipped before looking at Clare for a translation. Alli who had taken Latin instead of French also looked towards her friend.

Clare rolled her eyes annoyed. "So, how did you like the chocolates, Fiona?" she asked.

Fiona turned to her. "I thought it was very sweet."

"You got her chocolates?" Alli exclaimed. Adam nodded. "Aww!"

"What is it with girls and chocolate?" Eli laughed.

Adam gave him a look. "They taste really good," he countered. The girls rallied in agreement.

Eli shook his head. "Fine, I know when it's a losing battle," he relented.

"Enjoy your dose of humble pie, Goldsworthy," Alli said in jest.

"Hey, I thought we were on the same side here," Eli said feigning offense.

"And what side would that be?" Adam said knowingly.

Eli turned to his best friend and grinned. "So, what's the deal with you guys? Is it official?"

Fiona and Adam looked at each other.

"We're not concerned with titles," Fiona answered.

"Hmm. So that's why you both hid your relationship status on FaceRange," Eli remarked.

Adam laughed. "You don't miss a beat?"

Yesterday after their make out session Fiona and Adam had discussed this. They were still sorting things out and in the spirit of taking thing slow, decided it was best to hold off on titles for now. But they certainly weren't single so they agreed to hide that section.

Eli shrugged.

"And I thought I was nosy," Alli teased him.

"Well, with chocolates and professions of love in French, I'd say you guys are doing pretty good. I'm happy that you're happy," Eli said sincerely. There had been a lot of drama lately and he was eager to see it end.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Birds of a feather flock together! Exhibit A: the sweetness of Fadam + Al-E-Clare (made that one up! Ha!). Exhibit B: the vileness of Owen and Dan.

.

More translations (this time in French)…

_Je t'en prie_ = my pleasure

_Entre deux coeurs qui s'aiment, nul besoin de paroles_ = Two hearts in love need no words  
(It's a quote by the poet Marcheline Desbordes-Valmore)


	19. Mommy Dearest

"Radiate" – part 19

Summary and notes in part 1.

Author's Note: The course of true love never did run smooth…

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

Fiona smiled at him as she grabbed her Math textbook from her locker.

"Maybe I can fake an injury?" he suggested. He was leaning against the locker next to hers, with his body angled toward her. "Like say I twisted my ankle?"

She laughed. "Right, because that kind of thing heals in one day."

He furrowed his brows. "Good point."

They laughed. Adam had been brainstorming ways for him to skip today's basketball practice, so far with no success.

He rested his head against the locker and sighed. "I don't want to go. I'd rather spend the afternoon with you."

She turned to him. "You know, there's always tomorrow," she reminded him.

He leaned closer to her. "Yeah, but that's so far away."

The intensity of his gaze made her blush. His eyes traveled to her lips. Adam really wanted to kiss her.

"What's going on here?"

They looked towards the direction of the voice. It was Adam's mom.

He cursed his luck and fought the urge to take several steps back. Why was she here now?

"Hey mom," he greeted her. His voice came out higher than he would have liked.

She looked at him expectantly. It took him a moment to recall her question. "Oh." He glanced at Fiona. "Um, we're working things out." He smiled at Fiona and she smiled back.

"Interesting," Mrs. Torres said dryly. She looked at Fiona. "I had you pegged as a much stronger girl."

Adam looked at her confused. Before he could ask her what she meant, she continued.

"You know, what they say. If it happened once, it'll happen again," she said with no preamble.

Adam's mouth dropped open. He couldn't believe she said that!

"WHAT?" he practically yelled. He quickly turned towards Fiona. She looked gutted by his mother's words. "NO, that's NOT true!" he assured her.

Fiona bit her lip, struggling to hold her emotions in. She wasn't going to give Mrs. Torres the satisfaction of seeing her cry. And she knew if she spoke, she might say something she'd regret. Instead she quickly closed her locker and walked away from them without a backwards glance.

"Fiona!" Adam called after her. She kept walking. He was devastated as he watched her round the corner. He turned to his mom incensed. "WHY did you say that?"

Did his mother really hate him that much? He had worked so hard to get Fiona to give him a second chance. He promised not to hurt her again, and then this happens.

"I was just stating my opinion," she dismissed him, completely ignoring his despair. "I'll see you at home," she added before continuing towards Principal Simpson's office.

Jess looked away, feeling like she had intruded on something personal. She felt really bad for Adam. During the short time she dated Drew she had only two run-ins with Mrs. Torres, but the woman had scared her half to death. She couldn't imagine what she was like to deal with full time. She closed her locker and walked away.

Eli frowned as he approached his best friend. He had seen the exchange from a distance but had no idea what was said. "Are you alright?"

Adam looked visibly upset. "I'm golden," he said sarcastically.

"Come on, let's go." Eli led the way to a deserted stairwell. "Okay, spill."

"She sabotages everything!" Adam yelled. His face was contorted in anger.

"Whoa," Eli said. "Can you rewind?"

Adam looked at his friend. "She couldn't stand to see me happy. I don't know why she hates me so much!"

Eli pursed his lips. Both Adam and Drew had major mommy issues. Who could blame them with a mother like that? He didn't always know the right thing to say, so he waited.

"And she treats Fiona like she's garbage stuck to her shoe! I don't understand why!" Adam continued.

"And how is Fiona?" Eli asked.

Adam shrugged. "I don't know! One minute we're flirting by her locker. The next my mom is telling her that she's weak for taking me back and insinuating that I'll cheat on her again!"

"WHAT?" Eli couldn't believe it. Adam's mom had said some pretty messed up things in the past, but this seemed beyond the pale. What kind of parent throws their child under the bus?

"She's probably going to break up with me. Other people heard what my mom said," Adam lamented.

"Hey, I think you're wrong. She _loves_ you. It doesn't matter how mean your mom is, Fiona still loves you," Eli argued.

Adam snorted. "And I make her life a living hell."

Eli violently shook his head. "That's not—"

"I open her up to ridicule!" Adam interrupted. "She deserves better," he continued sadly.

"Are you done?" Eli said impatiently.

Adam looked at him confused.

"If you'd pull your head out of your ass you'd see that _this_ is exactly what she wants," Eli told him, not bothering to censor his words.

-oOo-

"That bitch!"

Despite herself Fiona erupted in laughter. She laughed so hard she had tears in her eyes.

Clare covered her mouth apologetically at her outburst but after a few moments she chuckled. It lifted her spirits so see her friend so amused.

Several minutes later, once she recovered Fiona spoke. "Thank you. I needed that."

Clare shrugged. "Glad I could be of help." She and Fiona met up after school and went to the Dot. Clare immediately could tell she was agitated but the older girl held off on telling her why until they ordered coffee.

"You're the best," Fiona said sincerely. Her eyes darted to the counter, as she wondered when her cappuccino would finally be ready. She sighed. "To be honest, I decided not to care anymore."

Clare raised an eyebrow. "Really?" she questioned skeptically.

Fiona nodded. "It's clear she doesn't like me and never has. So, why should I care what she thinks?" Adam's mom was always cold towards her, but her demeanor had gotten worse every since they returned from New York.

"I see where you're coming from," Clare started. She paused knowing the next part of her statement might not go over well. "Adam has trouble getting along with his mom, but at the end of the day she's not going anywhere. You both need to look for common ground."

Fiona grimaced. "I don't see that happening anytime soon."

"I don't either," Clare said honestly. "What she did today… That was just cruel."

"Ladies," Peter said in a bright tone. He smiled broadly as he brought Fiona and Clare their freshly made drinks. He carefully placed the hot beverages on the table.

"Thanks," Clare told him.

"Ah, this looks good!" Fiona said happy to finally get her caffeine fix.

Peter smiled at her. "I used extra crème, so it should taste good too."

She looked away. "Oh, that was sweet of you," she said politely.

He laughed. "It was no trouble at all. I was happy to." He lingered for a moment before walking away.

Clare looked at her. "You didn't tell him you're back together with Adam?"

Fiona shook her head. "Clare, Adam and I _just_ got back together yesterday!" She didn't like feeling like she was on trial.

"Sorry, it's just… I'm always rooting for you guys and I hate that there's been so much drama lately," Clare confessed.

"You and I both," Fiona commiserated. She stood up.

"Where are you going?" Clare asked her.

Fiona glanced at her cappuccino wistfully before meeting her friend's eyes. "There's no time like the present."

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Right, Eli's final comment in the last chapter was a certainly an anvil...

Let me know what you think :D


	20. Insecure

"Radiate" – part 20

Summary and notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Thanks for the feedback! Special shout out to **adriancfc**, whose last review had me cracking up! Lol :D

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

"No answer," Adam huffed as he closed his phone.

Drew looked at his brother concerned. From the moment basketball and football practice let out Adam had been a mopey mess. He immediately asked Drew to drive him to Fiona's condo, but when they got there she wasn't upstairs. Next they went to the Dot, but they didn't find her there either. At the moment they were driving home.

Adam stared out the window. "I knew it," he said softly. Things were going too good to be true. He should have known sooner or later the other shoe was going to drop.

Drew sighed. He kept his eyes on the road, unsure of what to say. From what Adam told him, what happened with their mom was pretty bad. He would like to say he was surprised by her words, but his mother had embarrassed him in school more than once. She didn't really have a filter when it came to girls dating her sons.

"I don't think you should jump to conclusions, Adam. She might have a good reason for missing your calls," Drew told him as they waited at the red light.

Adam snorted. "You mean ignoring my phone calls?"

Drew shrugged.

"I can't really blame her. She was humiliated again by the cheating boyfriend," he trailed off.

"Well, at least you didn't update your FaceRange status," Drew quipped.

Adam glared at him. "Thanks for the silver lining, Andrew," he deadpanned.

"Come on, I'm kidding! Don't you think you're being a little dramatic?" Drew asked.

"She practically ran away from me and is ignoring my calls. What am I missing?" Adam questioned.

"No, she walked away from you and _mom_. And, as for the calls, who knows?"

Adam leaned back on the headrest. "Well, you're a certainly an optimist."

As they rounded the corner Drew sat up straighter and smiled. "You know, if I was a betting man I'd say things are going to work out just fine."

"Right," Adam dismissed him.

"No, seriously! I'd bet you a week of washing dishes," Drew offered.

Adam looked at him curiously, trying to figure out if he knew something that he didn't. Then he saw her, sitting on the front porch.

-oOo-

Fiona grinned as Drew's car came into view. She spotted Adam in the passenger seat. She had been waiting for about ten minutes. After coffee she and Clare went shopping to pass the time. Fiona had already decided to speak to Adam after basketball practice was over, but that left them with over an hour to kill.

She watched as Drew parked out front. The moment he shut off the engine Adam hopped out of the car. He quickly walked towards her, but slowed as he came to the steps. They looked at each other for a long moment.

"Hey guys. I'm going to go inside," Drew said as he came up behind Adam.

"Sounds like a good idea," Adam chuckled nervously. It was officially November and as expected the weather had gotten much colder. "After you," he told Fiona as he held the door open.

She smiled. "Thanks."

Once inside his hands felt like dead weights at his sides. He wasn't sure what to say. He followed her as she walked over the couch. He smiled at how at ease she was in his home. Drew headed upstairs leaving them alone.

Fiona looked him with a small smile on her face. He looked pensive as he stood before her. "Are you going to sit?" she asked.

Adam rubbed his chin. "I tried to call you earlier," he said quietly.

Fiona furrowed her brows. "You did?" she said surprised. She hadn't heard her phone ring. After a moment she laughed, realizing why.

She and Clare had found some great deals, and in the midst of shopping they had lost track of time. In her haste to check out and go, the phone which had been in her hand ended up in one her bags, forgotten.

Adam watched as Fiona searched her bags. "Found it!" she declared victoriously. Adam smiled, relieved to know she hadn't been avoiding him. "Twelve missed calls?" she questioned.

He shrugged as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I was concerned."

She raised an eyebrow before patting the empty space next to her. "Sit."

He did as commanded. She studied him for a moment.

"What's bothering you?" she asked.

He sighed. It was nice to know that she wasn't upset with him after he had freaked out about it! For all his talk two days ago about love and trust, it looked he was the one with trust issues. He was annoyed with himself for jumping to worst conclusions. Both Eli and Drew told him he was overreacting but he didn't listen. "My mom," he started.

Fiona snorted. "That was unpleasant," she commiserated. He nodded. "I'm sorry for walking off like I did. I just didn't want to engage her, you know?" she explained. She felt bad for her abrupt exit but if she stood there a moment longer she wouldn't have been able to hold her tongue.

"It's okay," Adam found himself saying. She looked at him relieved and he realized she thought he had been acting weird because he was upset with her. "Fiona," he said.

"Adam," she laughed, wondering why he suddenly stated her name.

"I thought you were ignoring my calls," he confessed.

She frowned. "Why would I ignore your calls?"

"With my mom… after what she said," Adam paused. "Thought you might be having second thoughts…" he trailed off. He looked up at her, and found her looking at him curiously.

"So… let me get this straight," she started. He waited for her to continue. "Your mom makes an obnoxious statement this afternoon, and we assume the other person is upset with us? What a pair we make," she said amused.

"You're not mad at me? For jumping to conclusions?" Adam asked surprised to see her smiling.

"Well, if would have been nice if you didn't jump from A to B," she told him honestly. "But, no I'm not mad at you."

He let out a breath he didn't he was holding and smiled broadly. He moved closer to her on the couch. "I'm sorry," he told her. "I'm glad that you're here."

Fiona grinned and leaned closer to him. "Me too." She softly brought her lips to his.

Adam felt warm inside. He was overjoyed that they were okay. "So, what did you get from the mall?" he asked as he peaked into one of the bags.

"Stuff," she said lightly. She looked into his eyes for a moment and then shrugged. "I'd model them for you if we were back at the condo."

"Really?" Adam grinned broadly. Amongst the bags he had noticed a small one from Victoria's Secret.

She nodded. "Only the modest items though, since we're keeping things chaste," she teased.

Adam laughed. "Of course. I wouldn't dream of it any other way," he quipped.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Love Adam's little freak out here.

FYI, unfortunately I am falling a little behind in this fic. I have ideas but this week has been so busy. Hope to update soon-ish! Next chapter has more Mama Torres! (No, she hasn't been killed off, lol)


	21. Not Backing Down

"Radiate" – part 21

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

When she walked into the house Audra Torres heard laughter. She smiled, genuinely happy that her sons seemed to be in a good spirits. She knew she had been harsh earlier with Adam but she felt a little pain now was preferable to heartbreak later.

He and that girl were too different for it to work between them in the long run. He was only 16 and under the Coyne girl's influence he was making plans to live hundreds of miles away in New York and had already began physically transitioning against her wishes. It was a choice with permanent consequences and Audra wanted Adam to wait until he was 18 to do so. She felt like he was rushing into life changing decisions without figuring out what _he_ wanted first.

However, she could admit part of her resistance was that she hated losing control. Her children were growing up so fast. She wasn't sure if they were ready for the world yet, so she vowed to protect them for as long as she could – even if they resented it.

"You're going down Fi!" she heard Drew say.

"Whatever man! Fi, you've got this," she heard Adam respond.

When she rounded the corner she spotted her sons in the living room along with the Coyne girl. The three teens were fully absorbed in the video game on screen. From the looks of it, Drew and Fiona were playing a boxing game on the Wii. Adam stood nearby, cheering on his girlfriend.

"Yeah! Keep going!" he encouraged. Drew looked annoyed as he frantically moved the game controller. Fiona smiled broadly as she continued to strike her opponent.

"No, no!" Drew protested.

On screen, the referee finished counting to ten and the bell rang signifying the end of the fight. Adam and Fiona celebrated her win with a victory dance.

"Hey, I was going easy on you," Drew told Fiona.

Fiona rolled her eyes. "Right," she said unconvinced.

"He's a terrible loser," Adam informed her. "You should see him when we're playing monopoly!"

"Um, you obsessively control the money when you're the banker! It's annoying dude," Drew fired back.

Despite herself, Audra grinned at their exchange. "Boys, I'm home!" she announced.

The atmosphere in the room quickly turned tense. Adam and Drew shared a quick look before turning to their mother.

"Hey Mom," Drew said brightly, masking the awkwardness he felt. His eyes darted to Fiona. He had to admit, she had a great poker face. She appeared calm and collected. If she was nervous at all he couldn't tell.

"Hi Mom," Adam told her. He was hoping for the best, but preparing for the worse. What happened this afternoon didn't sit well with him, but he would be damned if he was going to tiptoe around his mother about his renewed relationship with Fiona.

"Hello Mrs. Torres," Fiona said politely. The older woman looked at her for a few moments before looking away. Fiona held back a smirk, having recognized a hint of guilt in Mrs. Torres' eyes. She wasn't hoping for an apology, but it was a small victory that even Mrs. Torres understood how she behaved earlier was wrong.

"Hello everyone," Audra said in an even tone. She set her eyes on her younger son. "Adam, I need to speak to you in the kitchen."

Drew rolled his eyes. He was expecting this. '_Divide and conquer_,' he thought.

"No," Adam stated.

Drew furrowed his brows his brother's refusal. Did Adam have a death wish?

"That wasn't a request," Audra said sternly.

"I know," Adam acknowledged. "But anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of them," he asserted. He swallowed, nervous about holding his ground. He glanced at Fiona and found her looking at him with a small smile. Suddenly he felt much braver. He brought his eyes to his mother's, determined not to back down.

"Very well then," Audra relented. She thought her words would be kinder to say in private, but if he was going to be stubborn he would have to deal with the consequences. "I may have been abrasive earlier and for that I'm sorry."

Adam blinked. "Really?" he said surprised. He would sooner bet on pigs flying then hearing his mother apologize for being rude.

Drew's eyebrows shot up. This turn of event was unexpected. He watched her curiously. However, Fiona kept a neutral expression as she watched Mrs. Torres. She could tell there was more that she was bursting to say and braced herself for the next round of hurtful words.

Audra nodded at Adam. "But, I think things happen for a reason. You're only 16, Adam. To be in such a serious relationship is stressful and maybe that's the reason why you cheated."

"Seriously, Mom?" Drew interjected annoyed. He was angry that she was bringing up Adam's infidelity in front of Fiona, _again_. "Are you a licensed psychoanalyst now?"

"Drew," Audra stated in a warning tone. "You can go to your room if you'd like."

"Andrew, I can fight my own battles," Adam told his brother.

Drew looked at him confused but held his tongue.

"Mom, I know you never approved of me dating Fiona but that's my choice. Not yours," he told her firmly. "Whatever problems we have, we're going to work it out. Throwing it in our faces isn't going to break us up."

He glanced at Fiona and smiled. His heart skipped a beat when she smiled back.

Audra looked at her son for a long moment. "Despite what you may think, I only want the best for you, Adam."

"I know, but I'm capable of determining that on my own," Adam said softly. He didn't want to fight anymore. Not about this when he was certain of how he felt. "Being with Fiona is what's best for me. I love her. When you belittle our relationship it's hurtful. I'd like it if you'd stop, but we're going to be together regardless."

Audra sighed.

"Can we move past this?" Adam pressed.

She considered his words. As much as she hated to admit it, Adam did have a point. There was little she could do to break them up. Plus at 16, he was old enough to make his own mistakes – and she was certain that Fiona was a mistake. In her mind she thought it was inevitable that Fiona would break his heart. What would happen when the socialite eventually returned to New York City and high society? Adam would seem less like a prince and more like a pauper. She could only hope the relationship would run its course sooner rather than later.

They had reached an impasse. Fiona watched with nervousness in the pit of her stomach while Adam and his mother looked at one another. She thought Adam put forth excellent arguments. It was surreal seeing him stand up to his mom like that, but it was amazing knowing he did it for her.

She had a few choice words she was dying to say to Mrs. Torres but as she watched their exchange she understood how important it was to just let them talk. Drew had come to a similar conclusion and they shared a look or two while Adam and his mom had conversed. Now it was quiet as both parties considered their next move.

"If that's what you want, Adam," Audra relented. Adam grinned. She quickly added, "My feelings on the situation haven't changed."

"You're entitled to feel how you feel, Mom. I just don't want to argue about this anymore," Adam asserted.

"Fine," Audra shrugged. "I'm going to start dinner."

Adam nodded. "Thanks, Mom," he told her as she turned away.

"Thank you Mrs. Torres," Fiona spoke up. Perhaps it was pushing it, but she wanted to make it plain that despite what the older woman thought she couldn't be scared away easily.

Audra turned towards her. "Are you going to stay for dinner?"

Fiona blinked as she registered the sincerity in her tone. She was used to Mrs. Torres having a slight edge in her voice whenever she addressed her.

Adam and Drew also noticed and exchanged another look. Was their mother actually inviting Fiona to dinner?

Fiona quickly recovered and shook her head. "No, I have plans, but thank you."

Audra nodded at her and walked off towards the kitchen.

As soon as she was out of earshot Drew spoke. "Dude, what the hell was that?"

Adam walked over to Fiona and grinned. He wasn't sure what to make of it, but at the moment he didn't care. He had more pressing matters to attend to. He took Fiona's hands in his. "Better?" he asked, still frazzled by their exchange.

Fiona shrugged. "Somewhat."

They both chuckled relieved to be still standing.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Hmm, Mrs. Torres actually put the knives away! After a few digs of course…

I'll be wrapping this story up soon! I've have a few other works in progress. One that takes place the following month and another which jumps ahead a year. Anyway, I will update my story "On A Mission" tonight. Next chapter is extremely lemony (M for sure!).


	22. The Pull

"Radiate" – part 22

Summary and notes in part 1.

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

K.C. chuckled as Adam once again studied the clock. "Got somewhere to be?"

"Huh?" Adam asked distractedly. A couple of their teammates chuckled.

"These drills don't seem to be holding your interest," he teased. Coach had stepped out to get coffee ten minutes ago. He was in charge, and truth be told he was close to calling it a day. All the guys seemed tired. They had a full practice yesterday and here they were again, before school. Having it back to back was brutal but coach wanted to make sure they were ready for the game this Friday.

Adam sighed, "I can't say it's my favorite thing." If he was able to leave in the next five minutes he might have enough time to surprise Fiona and meet her before her first class.

"Oh? So, that's why you've been staring down the clock," K.C. grinned. Dave's ears perked up.

Adam gave him a look. "I'm just hoping we can leave soon." Several other players nodded in agreement.

K.C. was unconvinced and sent him back a knowing look, "Yeah, and it has nothing to do with Fiona?" He laughed before adding, "How are things with you guys?"

Adam grinned at the mention of her name. "We're fine."

Things were great between them and last night had gone better than he expected. His mother seemed to be honoring their ceasefire. He was allowed to leave with Fiona and they had dinner together at the condo. They talked things through, made out a little, and played several rounds of Karaoke Superstar. It was perfect.

"Really? I heard something happened with your mom yesterday," Dave chimed in. The word was she had said something to Fiona that made her walk away upset.

Adam held back a frustrated groan but clearly conveyed his irritation with his eyes. Gossip spread like wildfire in this school. It was annoying. "And this is related to basketball how?" he quipped.

K.C. chuckled. "He's right, Dave. Let's focus on the drills," he scolded him.

"Sorry," Dave said quickly, sensing the change in mood. "I was just surprised, that's all," he stated.

Adam sighed. "And why might that be?" '_This should be good_,' he thought. He didn't think highly of Dave and readied himself for yet another charged statement.

Dave shrugged. "It seems like your mom doesn't like her." Adam and Drew's mom had a reputation for being unpleasant but Fiona was one of the most gorgeous girls in school. Shouldn't that count for something?

Adam snorted.

"What?" Dave asked, not following his reaction.

"_That_ would be an understatement," Adam declared. He dribbled the ball three times and then passed it to K.C.

"Really?" Dave said curiously. Adam looked at him. "I mean, it's _Fiona_. She's hot, rich, and well, hot. What's not to like?"

Adam slightly grimaced. While he agreed his girl was beautiful, Dave's superficial description of her bugged him.

"No offense!" Dave added as an afterthought, noticing disapproving looks from K.C. and a few other players.

"Well, that kind of thing doesn't impress my Mom," Adam retorted. The guys in his group laughed. "She doesn't want me or Drew to date. She'd rather we live as monks," he explained.

K.C. nodded. Drew had told him many stories of ruined relationships due to Mrs. Torres' interference.

"But you guys have been together since last year," Dave protested confused.

"And she's disliked Fiona even _before_ we started dating," Adam told him.

"That's cold man," Jason Tucker added his opinion to the mix. They weren't friends, but he and Adam had put their argument behind them. "I don't get why she's trippin'."

Adam looked at the senior. "It is what it is. We've reached an understanding though."

-oOo-

Fiona quickly placed her Social Studies textbook in her locker. She was in an excellent mood and hummed as she reached for her notebook. She was happy that it was morning and couldn't wait to see Adam. She had great time yesterday evening hanging out with her boyfriend. It had been perfect!

She frowned.

'_Boyfriend?_' she questioned. It was unbelievable how much time she spent thinking about whether or not to make the title official. Her rational side argued that she should wait because they just got back together three days ago. However, part of her wondered what she was waiting for. Adam was the one for her! She could feel it in her bones. He wasn't just the guy she was dating. She also knew he wasn't just a boyfriend. He was the guy she wanted to spend the rest of her life with and that terrified her.

Before the break up, they had made plans for their immediate future post-Degrassi, but they never discussed plans for their future beyond university. Now she realized the reason why she was so deeply hurt by him was because it wasn't just her boyfriend who let her down. It was the man who she wanted to share the rest of life with who had let her down.

She didn't know if Adam felt the same way and she was scared to bring it up. As his mother repeatedly pointed out yesterday, he was only 16. She knew that he loved her, but few people were ready to consider lifelong commitments at that age. And she was just 18! She thought it was silly that she was even thinking about such a thing when she had her whole life ahead of her. They both did.

Fiona sighed as her eyes landed on a picture pinned inside her locker door. It was a photo of her and Adam taken during their summer in New York. They were dressed in formal attire for a gala and he had one arm around her waist. They looked so happy and in love. Since hanging it up she had looked at it countless times. Whenever she did she always smiled. If she was down, it lifted her spirits. Even when they had broken up, she couldn't bear to part with it.

"Good morning, Princess," a gentle voice called to her.

She looked up and saw Adam smiling back at her. Once again, he was leaning against the locker next to hers, with one arm raised. His body was angled towards her and he stood close. Close enough to smell his scent. He looked at her with open affection.

"I trust that you slept well?" he grinned. He hated to leave her, but his mother would have blown a gasket if he stayed overnight.

Fiona smiled at him. "I did," she told him. "I missed you this morning but I'm glad you're here now."

"Me too!" he readily agreed, nearly bursting with excitement. It felt good to know she felt the same way he did. He looked deeply into her eyes. "I love you."

Fiona blushed at the intensity of his stare and the emotion behind his words. "I love you, too." The words flowed out of her. In that moment she wanted to tell him everything she was feeling. Instead she cleared her throat and turned back towards her locker.

Adam had a silly grin on his face as he watched her grab a couple of books from her locker. When she had everything she needed he outstretched his arms. "I'll take those."

She then closed it and they began walking down the hall, hand in hand.

"So, Drew is still stewing about the smack down you dealt him yesterday," Adam revealed.

She giggled. "Really?"

"Yup," Adam nodded. The sound of her laughter filled him with so much lightness that he could float up to the moon.

"You weren't exaggerating about him being a sore loser," she joked. Fiona furrowed her brows in confusion as he let go of her hand. Before she could ask why, Adam gently placed his arm around her shoulders. She happily leaned into his embrace.

Adam was delighted at this turn of events. It felt wonderful to hold her close. Nothing else mattered. Minutes later, when they reached her class neither wanted to go.

"Guess we're here," he noted sadly. The halls were beginning to thin as students filed into their first class of the day. Adam was fortunate that his was right around the corner.

Fiona pouted as he removed his arm. Adam softly caressed her cheek. "See you at lunch."

The sadness in his eyes echoed hers. "Hmm, it seems so far away," she teased, attempting to lighten the mood.

He didn't seem to get the memo. "It does," he agreed morosely.

She shook her head as she smiled. He caught himself and smiled back. "Books?" she reminded him.

"Oh, right," Adam said sheepishly. "I guess I don't need an Economics textbook," he quipped.

She laughed as he handed back her books. They looked at each other for a long moment.

"Bye, Fi," he said. He didn't want her to be late.

She started toward her class. After taking a few steps, she abruptly paused and turned back around. Adam, who had yet to move, gave her a quizzical look.

"What is it?" he asked. "Did you forget something?"

She flashed him a wicked grin. "You could say that."

Adam watched as she walked over to him and casually pressed her lips to his. He eagerly responded and brought his hands to her waist as they continued to kiss. He savored the feel of her lips moving against his. Several moments later she pulled away.

"What was that for?" Adam asked softly, as he stared into her eyes.

She giggled at his expression of wonder. "You have to ask?" she teased before walking off to her class.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Wowie, I've been on a writing spree with this story, which is awesome! Some more drama up ahead. I'm up to 71 pages in Word. Insane! This is officially longer than "You Don't Want Me"!

Thank you for the reviews! It's a joy to read each one. I'm happy you guys like this story!

A/N #2: Fun fact - Indeed the photo in Fiona's locker is the same one described in chapter 12, "In Waiting Line"


	23. Forewarned

"Radiate" – part 23

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews! Wow, it's up to 100. That's very cool! Without further ado, numero 23!

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

Adam was still thinking about their kiss when he met up with Eli at their study nook several classes later.

Eli grinned broadly at him. "Someone's in a good mood today!" he commented as his friend took as seat.

Adam struggled to find words to explain his mood. "Fiona is amazing," he told the older boy, deciding simpler was best.

"Oh no, I've completely lost you to the love haze!" Eli mocked him.

Adam shrugged. "Perhaps you have." He couldn't wait to kiss Fiona again. He wanted to fast-forward to the afternoon.

Eli laughed at him. "So, I got your text last night," he informed him. "But I'm still going to gloat – told you so!" Yesterday he was certain Adam had gotten all worked up for nothing and he was proven right.

Adam rolled his eyes. "Too late. Drew already beat you to it."

"I bet!" Eli grinned.

"I know, I overreacted big time. I just want everything to be right again," Adam sighed. He struggled to find the right words. "I realize we can't go back overnight to the way things were, but… I miss the certainty we had."

Eli shrugged. "Well, it'll happen over time, you know?"

"Yeah," Adam nodded. "I guess."

"So, are you guys official yet?" Eli questioned.

-oOo-

Fiona rolled her eyes as she saw Owen heading her way. She couldn't stand him. The guy just wouldn't take a hint. She cursed herself for forgetting one of her textbooks and quickly closed her locker. She then started walking towards her next class.

"Hey Fiona, hold on!" he called after her. She ignored him. "So are you really back together with _Gracie_?" he smirked.

Fiona bristled at the low blow as she continued to walk away from him. It was common knowledge that bringing up Adam's birth name was disrespectful. She interpreted his remark as an intentional slight and despite her better judgment she came to an abrupt stop. She was always the one encouraging Adam to let ignorant comments go, but in this moment her anger won out.

Owen's eyebrows shot up when he saw Fiona stalking towards him.

"What is your purpose?" she asked calmly.

He was caught off guard and was unsure how to answer. "What?" he blinked.

"I want to know what your angle is?" she pressed. "Do you really think insulting my _boyfriend_ will make me want to date _you_?" She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Owen opened his mouth to respond but was silenced by the withering look of disdain she sent him. The air constricted in his chest and for the first time in a long while he felt embarrassed. He wasn't sure what his motive was. He was angry that the beautiful girl in front of him had rejected him, for a freak no less! But he was having a shit day and talking to her for few seconds, even if it was a negative exchange, always made him smile. At this moment he realized she never felt that way and he felt silly for ever entertaining the notion that he could get her to change her mind.

He almost let out a sigh of relief when Fiona finally released him from her hold and walked away without a backwards glance. It was only a few seconds, but he felt like she could see straight through him and found him wanting. However, he couldn't afford his persona to slip so he promptly stared after her with his face set in a menacing scowl.

"Owen," a deep voice called out. "Back off."

Owen turned around and saw Jason Tucker standing nearby. From his locker he must have seen most of their exchange.

"You've got to be shitting me! What are you, Torres' protector, now?" he sneered. He knew for a fact that the senior had taunted Adam in the past.

Tucker narrowed his eyes further. "Just stay away from Fiona, alright?"

There were a lot of guys disappointed that she and Adam were back together, but they respectfully backed away. What was done was done. He hadn't always gotten along with his teammate – there had been a shoving incident between them a couple of weeks ago – but he felt Owen's fixation on Adam's girlfriend was wrong.

"What? Are you going to make me?" Owen challenged. He didn't take orders from anyone.

Tucker stood up at his full height of six feet.

After a moment Owen relented, "Whatever." He walked off to his next class annoyed at everyone was so protective of the freak.

-oOo-

Adam was livid. He had been standing outside the cafeteria, waiting for Fiona, when he overheard that she and Owen had exchanged words earlier. His fists clinched and he immediately pressed for more details. When Drew spotted him he recognized the dangerous look in his eye. He pulled his brother aside, hoping to talk some sense into him.

"Don't do anything rash," Drew warned his brother. They were in an empty classroom, around the corner from the lunch room.

Adam frowned. "He's messing with my _girlfriend_! He deserves what he gets!" he said angrily. He wanted to smash the older boy's face in.

"Whoa, calm down Rocky," Drew chuckled nervously. He was pissed at Owen too, but he was more worried about his brother getting hurt.

Adam continued to seethe. "What would you do if you were in my position?" he questioned.

Drew scratched his head. "I'd want to hit him too, but it wouldn't solve anything! From what I heard Tucker already took him to task so there's nothing to do. Just let it go," he reasoned.

Adam sighed as he paced back and forth.

He was used to other guys checking Fiona out. From the moment he met her he noticed guys watched her like a hawk. It was annoying, but par for the course. She was a beautiful girl and as such was a lightning rod for male attention. However, once they began dating, the guys at Degrassi became more respectful. There was far less ogling. Usually sending a hard look their way was enough for dudes to back off.

During their break up, it was open season on Fiona. It was hard for him to control his jealously but he had managed. The only time he nearly lost control was when she flirted with Peter at the Dot. Now that they were back together, things were almost back to normal. Owen, however, had crossed the line. He knew that she was in a relationship and wasn't interested in him. Still the brute persisted. In Adam's view he had gone from hitting on Fiona to harassing her, and that was unacceptable.

Adam suddenly paused mid-step. "Andrew, I can't do that."

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Okay, it may seem cruel to end on a cliffhanger, but it's yet another reason to look forward to 2011, right? :D

I've been holding on to Owen and Fiona's scene for awhile and I'm overjoyed I finally found the right spot for it. Tensions come to ahead in the next chapter…

.

Happy New Year everyone! It's going to be **MMXI** ! That's so weird, right?


	24. Come Forth

"Radiate" – part 24

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Wow, first chapter of the New Year! And now there's only 5 weeks to Degrassi returns! Woo hoo!

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

"Do you know where Adam is?" Fiona asked.

Eli, Clare, and Alli looked at her blankly.

"I thought he was with you," Eli told her.

She sighed heavily as she placed her tray on the table and took a seat. "I was waiting for him outside by the doors, but he never showed." She nibbled on a French fry. She was starving!

"That's weird," Clare noted as she shook her chocolate milk.

Eli furrowed his brows. "Yeah, when I saw him he was telling me that he couldn't wait for lunch."

Fiona turned to him. "Really?" she asked softly.

Eli genuinely smiled. "Um, yeah! Don't sound so surprised. I happen to know he's crazy about you," Eli teased.

Fiona blushed. "Thanks."

Clare chuckled. She thought their exchange was adorable.

"So where is he?" Alli asked the burning question.

-oOo-

"I don't need a bodyguard," Adam bristled as they entered the lunchroom.

"Adam, this is stupid!" Drew declared. "Look, Fiona is at your usual table with friends. Just go, alright?"

Adam clinched his jaw when he spotted Owen across the room. "I can fight my own battles," he insisted.

With that he briskly walked over to Owen.

Drew stared after him slack jawed. "Shit," he muttered. Why did his brother have to be so stubborn? He sprinted to catch up.

-oOo-

"There he goes!" Eli exclaimed upon seeing his friend enter the cafeteria. Fiona, Clare, and Alli quickly followed his line of sight. "Hey, what's he doing?"

They watched as Adam stalked over to Owen Milligan's table. His brother Drew was close behind him.

Eli had a sinking feeling in his stomach. He glanced at Fiona and noticed her worried expression.

-oOo-

"Seriously, it was brilliant!" Dan laughed as he finished his story. His friend Owen was laughing right along with him.

"Dude, that was epic," Owen commented. He then grabbed a fist full of fries.

Dan suddenly frowned as he noticed two teens approaching their table. "Hey man, look up."

Owen gave him a quizzical look, but didn't have time to say anything before Adam Torres began talking.

"Owen," Adam said in a measured tone. "You and I need to talk."

Owen darted his eyes from Adam to Drew before responding with a laugh. "What do you want Torres?" he asked roughly.

Drew's eyes instantly narrowed. Adam felt his anger rise but managed to keep his expression neutral.

"I think you know what this is about, but I'll humor you," Adam retorted. "There's a matter I'd like to discuss. Let's step out into the hall."

Owen sneered at him. "I don't humor _freaks_. Let's talk right here."

The tables around them grew quiet.

"Adam," Drew said in a warning tone. He knew this was a bad idea. He was torn between getting his brother out of this escalating situation and stepping in to aid him.

"That's original," Adam mocked him.

"Yeah, well I'm the only one in this school who says what everyone else is thinking to your face," Owen taunted him. It made him sick how everyone had gotten so PC.

Adam smiled as he shook his head. "I don't think you're the authority on what everyone else thinks," he countered. "But whatever, you're entitled to believe what you want."

Drew grinned amazed at how unfazed Adam sounded. The lunch room had gotten even quieter as more students listened in.

Owen bristled. "Well I—"

"I'm only going to say this once," Adam cut him off, wanting to get to the point. He looked Owen in the eyes. "Leave her alone."

Owen blinked a few times as connected the dots. When he did his angered flared. He felt embarrassed as he wondered how many other people knew what Adam was referring to.

"Or what Torres?" he challenged.

Adam looked at him hard. "Just don't go there," he stated.

Owen laughed. "I'm shaking in my boots!"

"Why do you have to be an ass about everything?" Fitz yelled. Everyone turned to look at him. Bianca, who was sitting beside him, also looked at him surprised. However, no one was more surprised than Fitz himself.

He was sitting just a few tables over. He wasn't planning to get involved but Owen's mocking laughter irritated him. Before he knew it, he had opened his mouth to speak. The words that came out quickly drew their attention.

Owen glared at his formerly close friend. Fitz had gone soft and defending the tranny was ultimate proof of this. "What's it to you Fitzy boy?"

Fitz stood up. "Doesn't it ever get old?"

Adam looked at Fitz in wonder. His words were truly unexpected. Unlike Bianca, they hadn't interacted at all this semester. However, he knew from Clare that Fitz had turned over a new leaf. He was focused on school and family, instead of bullying, slacking, and drinking.

Drew was also shocked that the former bully had come to his brother's defense. Sure, he knew that Bianca had a falling out with Owen, but he was surprised that Fitz was publicly calling him out. Last he heard those two were still on speaking terms.

Owen scowled. "This doesn't involve you! Don't be pissed at me because unlike you and Adam I'm working with a full set!"

"Dude, you're pathetic!" Bianca chimed in. Like Fitz, her words slipped out. Adam looked at her, stunned. They briefly locked eyes before she looked away.

"And you're working that set with your own hands," Alicia loudly quipped from the other side of the room. The redhead couldn't resist. He had left himself wide open for that one. A bunch of students began to laugh at his expense.

Owen was beyond pissed and his face reddened with embarrassment. "Shut up you stupid dyke!" he raged at her.

Drew pulled his brother back, sensing Adam was close to hitting Owen. Alicia was his friend and vice president of the GLBT Club.

"Owen, why don't you get the hell out of here?" Eli suggested, cutting through the thick tension in the room. Adam was startled to see him, having missed his approach. The older boy stood right beside him and looked like he meant business.

"I think that's a good idea," K.C. declared his support as he rose from his seat. The rest of the guys at his table stood up as well. They were all on the basketball team. Two tables away, the football jocks also decided to stand in solidarity. Drew smiled at his friends' support. They were quickly followed by Alicia and other members of GLBT Club. It wasn't long before most of the lunchroom was standing, even the cheerleaders.

Dan looked at Owen. "Let's go, man," he said quietly.

Owen glared at Adam one last time before deciding to heed his friend's advice.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Oh snap! And there's more drama to come…

**Reviews = Amazing!** (Especially since the traffic counter is down, right now… hint hint)

In other news, I've been writing up a storm for this new story set at a wedding in which Adam's extended family meets him as Adam. It takes place after "Wanted". Definitely am looking forward to sharing it when I'm done.

Anyway, I hope you guys had an awesome time celebrating the New Year! I did! Ended up Karaoking past 3am on a whim! Was so much fun. I sang songs by the Cardigans, The Spice Girls, Green Day, and 3LW :D


	25. Stupidity

"Radiate" – part 25

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: I really appreciated all the feedback on the last chapter guys! Thanks :D

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

Adam was quiet as he traveled with Eli back to their usual table. The euphoria of taking on the bully was short lived as he realized he had made an enemy. He immediately smiled when he saw Fiona, but his expression faltered when he saw she didn't return it.

"Hey," Adam said timidly as he took a seat at the table. Eli threw him a sympathetic look. Fiona and Clare looked ready to chew them out.

However, Alli beat them to the punch. "Do you guys have a death wish?"

Adam scratched the back of his head. "Fiona. Say something," he pressed, ignoring everyone else.

She took a deep breath. "There's a reason I don't tell you about every time a guy hits on me," she started. He swallowed nervously. "You can't handle it!" she said angrily. "You didn't have to confront him like that."

Adam frowned. "I asked him to step outside. He was being a jerk!"

Fiona scoffed. "What else is new? You didn't have to sink to his level!"

Adam pursed his lips. "I'm sorry, alright?" he said exasperated.

Fiona shook her head. "You're only saying that because I'm mad at you."

Adam looked away. "Fine. But what do you expect me to do? He crossed a line!"

"You should have let it go! I can handle Owen. I'm not a damsel in distress," she said irritated that he couldn't see her point of view. "In a month I'm graduating. Can't we just enjoy this time in peace?"

Adam softened at the mention of her finishing school. He was going to miss her next semester. He couldn't imagine not seeing her every day in the halls. "I know," he relented. "But he shouldn't be harassing you," he asserted.

Eli winced. It was really uncomfortable sitting here while the couple argued, oblivious to the existence of any else around them. He glanced around and noticed people at nearby tables were listening in. '_Lovely_,' he thought.

Clare didn't know what to say. She was usually the peacemaker amongst their friends, but she had never seen them argue this way. She had witnessed them bicker in the past, but they generally got along wondrously. Right now they sounded like an old married couple, and definitely not in a good way. It really felt like they were listening in on a private conversation.

"Adam, I'm a big girl. I don't need you to protect my honor!" she told him. Owen wasn't the first guy to aggressively pursue her, nor would he be the last. It didn't change anything. She still was going to be with Adam, but she didn't want him fighting everyone guy who did.

Adam's eyes flashed with frustration. "You're my _girlfriend_! It's my job to protect you!" he countered.

"I'm not your girlfriend!" she argued.

As soon as the words came out of her mouth she regretted them. She saw the instant hurt in his eyes before he looked down at his hands. The table was fraught with even more tension if possible. Eli and Clare looked shocked but quickly looked away. Alli already had her eyes trained somewhere else in the distance.

Adam felt like a fool. He loved her. He wanted her to be his. He wanted to protect her. And make every day brighter for her. Somehow he failed. His heart constricted as sadness washed over him. He bit his lip to keep his emotions in. Everything was screwed up… again.

Fiona reached out and grabbed his hand. "Adam," she said full of conviction. He slowly met her eyes. "I want to be with you. You're the one. You're my prince. But if you're constantly running off to slay dragons, it kind of makes it hard to be together," she smiled.

He visibly brightened and she softly laughed.

"Do you mean that?" he questioned. He searched her eyes, looking for truth.

"Of course I do," she told him. Her heartbeat sped up in response to the intensity of his gaze.

He ran his thumb over the back of her hand. "Then let me be your boyfriend," he pressed. He knew how he felt and he didn't want to be in limbo anymore. "I love you."

Fiona pulled one of her hands away to wipe away tears. "You need to be more careful."

Adam smiled broadly and nodded. "I will!"

"Good, because I kind of want you around for a long time," she grinned.

"You couldn't get rid of me if you tried!" he quipped. He moved to the other side of the table to sit right beside her. He then wrapped his arms around her.

Eli, Clare, and Alli shared looks as they let out breaths they didn't realize they were holding.

"That was intense," Eli whispered. Alli and Clare nodded.

Adam and Fiona leaned in and shared a kiss. After a long moment they pulled away. Adam leaned forward again, this time resting his forehead against hers.

-oOo-

The rest of the day moved quickly. The school was a buzz about what occurred during lunch. Clare smiled as she reached what was quickly becoming one of her favorite classes. She waved hello to her instructor before making her way to her work station. She took her book bag off her shoulder and placed it next to her chair.

When she started shop class she initially hated it. Clare was better with words and numbers. Written assignments were easy to her. Building things with her hands and deciphering construction notes were not her specialty. She spent countless hours re-reading the textbook and searching for related information online, but for all her research the physical progress she had made left much to be desired. She was close to failing before he offered his help.

Clare smiled brightened as Mark Fitzgerald entered the classroom. He had been a godsend to her. Clare never thought she would need tutoring for anything – let alone from _him_. He was a natural at building things and fixing machines. With his help, the concepts finally started to make sense to her. She got such a pure feeling of contentment every time she completed a project. Now she looked forward to this class, three times a week.

"Hey Clare," he said warmly, interrupting her reverie. She slightly blushed upon the realization that she had been staring at him while zoned out.

"Hey," she said softly.

Fitz threw himself into preparing his work station. He always felt a little nervous around her. He was grateful to busy his hands.

Clare awkwardly looked over her station. Seeing that everything was in order she faced forward. Moments later she suddenly turned towards him.

"Hey Fitz," she called to him. He didn't respond, seemingly focused on arranging his tools. Undeterred she spoke louder, "Mark."

He looked up when he heard her call out his given name. She was one of the few people who did. His mom and sister were the other two. "Yes?"

Clare smiled brightly. "Thanks for doing what you did at lunch," she told him. She had been completely shocked when he spoke up. She knew last year Fitz and Owen were close, but had drifted apart this semester. She didn't know the reasons why, but she was grateful he stood up to the bully.

Fitz shrugged. "It was nothing," he dismissed his actions.

"No," Clare argued. "That was something." She held contact with his eyes.

Fitz felt his insides grow warm as he looked into her eyes. After a few seconds he nervously looked away. "Like I said, he was being an ass," he stated meekly.

Clare let out a short laugh. "Can't argue with you there!"

Fitz looked at her with a lopsided grin. Edwards was full of surprises.

After a moment her face took on a more serious expression. "They really love each other."

Fitz nodded, fully aware that she was talking about Adam and Fiona. "He has no business trying to stir things up. It's obvious she's really into the kid."

Clare snorted. "Like you're so much older!" she teased.

He grinned at her. So there was only a one year age difference between them. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah," Clare said softly. She paused for a long moment. "Do you think he'll back off now?"

Fitz sighed. If there was one thing he knew about Owen, it was that the guy could hold a grudge. Clearly he had been in the wrong, but that never seemed to matter in the past. "I don't know," he said honestly.

Clare looked off to the side.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Yep, Fadam is officially back together. And it looks like Clare has a new love interest. Can't say if it'll be smooth sailing though...

**Would love to hear feedback on this chapter!** The traffic counter is still down.

A/N #2: Just wanted to point out in advance, the graduation date mentioned for Fiona is _not_ is typo. It's out of sync with future stories, which is intentional.

Okay, this is off topic but I'm updating my Badam fic "Can't Stop" today. If you're a fan of this couple, check them out. (As previously noted, the triangle in "Radiate" has been concluded.)

**Note: Chapter 26 is up. The site is acting a bit wonky, so the link disappeared. (it's very strange...)**


	26. Scratch the Surface

"Radiate" – part 26

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Yay! I'm the loving the feedback on this story. It's interesting that so many folks like Flare! As for Adam and Fiona's fight, they're going through growing pains which I find fun to write too. Ultimately it makes their relationship stronger as they realize what they want and how they feel.

Anyway, this chapter is very Fadam with large doses of fluff but also touches on issues. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

Fiona sighed as she leaned back on the couch. She didn't want to answer Dr. Sandler's question. She didn't want to hear how crazy she sounded for wanting more with Adam. She already knew it was too much, too soon. She took a sip of her cappuccino.

Her therapist looked at her expectantly. "Fiona?"

She shrugged. "I don't know what he would say," she finally admitted. "Yes, he probably would be freaked out."

Dr. Sandler wrote down more notes.

"Look, it's not something I'd bring up now anyway," Fiona reasoned. That would be ill-advised. As she looked at the older woman she began to regret calling her for an emergency session. Last night she felt that she really needed to talk to her. The past few days had been filled with major highs and lows.

"But you're thinking about it," Dr. Sandler said.

Fiona nodded. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean anything."

The older woman gave her a knowing look. "You have a history of rushing ahead in your relationship," she mentioned delicately. "Last week you were adamant that getting back together with Adam wasn't a good idea, even though you wanted to. Earlier this week you did. A few days ago you said that you were going to take things slow. Now you're officially back together."

"So what?" Fiona said defensively.

"It seems like there's a pattern," her therapist pointed out.

Fiona looked off to the side. "Fine. When we first began dating we got serious pretty fast," she conceded. "From the outside it may seem like we're moving quickly, but we know how we feel."

"I'm not questioning your feelings," Dr. Sandler assured her. "I'm merely suggesting it may be healthier to step back and allow yourselves space to grow. I know you're anxious about completing your coursework at Degrassi next month, but it may be for the best. You'll get the chance to see how the two of you fare with separation. It will definitely be an issue down the road when you return to New York City next fall."

Fiona flinched. She didn't want to think about New York. Going to university was several months away. Right now, graduating was first and foremost on her mind. At the end of the semester she would have earned enough credits to get her degree. While she was happy to nearly be done, the thought of leaving Degrassi filled her with sadness.

"Fiona?" a familiar voice called out.

She looked towards the direction of the door.

Sure enough, she spotted Adam walking down the hall. He was carrying a small box from a bakery. He immediately smiled when he saw her. Fiona's mood instantly brightened. He abruptly stopped when he noticed Dr. Sandler sitting across from her.

"Um, sorry to interrupt?" he said uncertain. Fiona softly laughed at the confused expression on his face.

Dr. Sandler glanced at her watch. "It's alright, we were just wrapping up." She stood up and extended her hand. "You must be Adam?"

His eyes darted to Fiona before shaking her hand. "Uh, yeah. You're Dr. Sandler, right?"

"Yes." She studied him for a brief moment. "Well, it's nice to meet you. If you'd excuse me, I have another appointment."

He nodded. "Sure."

Fiona waved at her therapist and watched her go. She knew it hadn't escaped her notice that Adam had a key.

After Dr. Sandler left Adam turned to his girlfriend. "I'm sorry. I should have called."

Fiona shook her head. "No, it's fine. This was last minute anyway," she explained. "So, what did you bring me?"

Adam smiled at her. "I stopped by the French bistro on Queen Street and picked up some fresh scones." He opened the box. Inside there was a variety of freshly baked ones. She recognized a cheese, fruit, milk, and treacle scones.

"Wow, they smell delicious!" she commented.

"I thought it might be nice to start the day together," he said shyly. Yesterday didn't go exactly as planned, but he figured today was a fresh start.

She softly kissed his cheek. "This is perfect. I love it," she told him as they walked to the kitchen counter.

"And I love you," he teased.

She gave him a look. She wasn't able to hold it for long before she found herself laughing.

-oOo-

Eli shook his head as watched the couple down the hall. '_He's definitely lost in the love haze_,' he chuckled to himself. Adam and Fiona were chatting at her locker. Both of them were all smiles. Adam was doing his infamous locker lean whilst staring into his girlfriend's eyes. Eli could feel the flirt from where he was.

"I'm sure this isn't what Owen intended."

Eli turned in the direction of voice, ready with a retort. He was surprised to see K.C. standing next to him with an amused grin. The two boys rarely interacted. From what Adam told him, he was an alright guy. Eli decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. "Not by a long shot," he quipped.

K.C. laughed.

They watched as Adam reached up and caressed Fiona's cheek.

"It's not even 8:30AM yet, and the rest of us are subject to the 'shiny happy people'," Eli continued.

K.C. shrugged. "I guess it beats sad and surly people any day," he said in jest.

Eli nodded. "Well, if we had to choose…" he trailed off before laughing.

-oOo-

"I really enjoyed breakfast, Adam," she told him.

Fiona chuckled as he grinned even wider.

"Mission accomplished!" he said lightly.

Fiona raised an eyebrow. "And what is this 'mission' that you refer to?" she flirtatiously inquired.

Adam leaned closer to her. "To make you happy."

It was simple statement, but there something about the way he said it that moved her deeply. There were words she wanted to say, but as she looked into his eyes the open affection she saw captivated her. His eyes were one of her favorite things about him. One look could communicate so much.

Suddenly Adam looked away. "Shit."

She followed his line of sight and spotted Mrs. Torres standing near the school entrance with Principal Simpson and a few other adults. She was looking at them with a frown. Adam quickly took a step back but it was clear she had already seen how close they were standing. The older woman gestured at her watch, silently scolding them from a distance to head to class.

Fiona turned around and closed her locker. "Seriously?" she muttered annoyed.

"Let's just go," Adam sighed. This was yet another moment when he cursed his mother's involvement with the PTA. Her sporadic visits to their school irritated him and Drew to no end.

Eli smirked as his friends briskly walked down the hall. He was starting to think Fiona's locker was cursed. Adam couldn't catch a break. "I think that made my morning!" he teased as the couple walked by.

Adam glared at him. "Shut up."

K.C. and Eli howled with laughter.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: I had to go to IMDb to find out what the name of Fiona's therapist was! Lol.

Anyway, the traffic counter is back up! The stats are _slowly_ started to update. Still, reviews = awesome :D


	27. Keep It Moving

"Radiate" – part 27

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: There's some original characters that return in this chapter. See chapter 16 for reference to GLBT club.

I apologize in advance for typos! Wrote this one tonight.

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

Bianca rolled her eyes at Fitz.

"You should just talk to her," she said as she walked up to him.

He quickly looked away from the girl he had been watching down the hall. "What?" he said unconvincingly.

Bianca gave him a knowing look. Fitz began to protest but after a moment gave up and returned his attention to grabbing books from his locker.

She smirked at her victory. "You know, I'm pretty sure she's going to be at the game tonight."

Fitz shrugged. "I don't know." He felt a little out of his element. He had no qualms grinding with girls at parties. With liquid courage it was easy. However, approaching a girl he liked? That was different.

"Suit yourself. But having in class conversations about power tools isn't going to cut it," she quipped.

Fitz chuckled. "Well, we had conversations about them outside of class too."

"Very suave," she teased. "Look, just ask her about sitting together. You can wait until you see her at the game, if you want," she suggested.

He glanced at Clare again. She had just closed her locker and was heading down the hall with her friend, Alli. He turned back toward Bianca with a mischievous grin. "You know, it would be awesome have a wingman." She raised an eyebrow. "Wingwoman," he quickly corrected himself.

Bianca had a small smile as shook her head. "Why would I want to go the basketball game?" she questioned. "My ex is captain. Plus Adam is on the team."

Fitz kept his face neutral. He felt bad for bringing up a touchy topic. "Aren't you and K.C. are on good terms?"

Bianca nodded. By the end of their relationship they felt more like friends than lovers, so their break up was amicable.

He already knew that, but found it easier to lead with that question than the next. He paused to choose his words delicately. "And with Adam, you guys reached an understanding, right?"

Bianca snorted. "We haven't really talked since that day." Now that their dance project was over, there was no reason for them to regularly interact. Though he was courteous towards her whenever they saw each other, she did her best to avoid him outside of class.

"Oh," Fitz said softly. He knew which day she was referring to. It was the same day Adam and Fiona reunited. "Well, I agree with K.C.," he stated, hoping to cheer her up. She held back a groan, sensing where he was going. "I could see something there, but the timing sucked."

"It's all the same because he still chose her," she said, failing to keep a hint of bitterness out of her voice. Bianca hated being vulnerable and she had really put herself out there.

She looked at him and sighed. Why were they discussing this in the hallway? Thankfully there didn't seem to be anyone in earshot. The halls were thinning as students made their way to their next class.

"Let's not dwell on the past," she said determined to switch the subject. "You have a shot with church girl. Trust me, no girl in the world would listen to you drone on for hours about how to use a biscuit joiner to connect pieces of wood unless they like you!"

-oOo-

Adam grinned at one of his favorite people in the world. He struggled to hold in his laughter as he snuck up behind her, as she sat precariously upon a yoga ball in the Media Immersion lab. He stopped short of making contact when his friend Nicki looked up. He hastily brought a finger to his lips, bidding her to keep silent. She smirked and nodded.

Seconds later he threw his arms around the unsuspecting girl.

"Adam! What the hell!" Alicia screeched. Her balance was compromised and Adam compensated by using his body to steady her. Once she recovered she glared at him. "You scared the shit out of me!"

Adam couldn't stop laughing as he released her.

"Dude, that was awesome," Nicki commented. She reached out and initiated a fist bump with Adam.

Alicia frowned at both of them. "Sign number 587 that being vice president is a thankless job."

"Aw, come on. We were just kidding around," he said in a teasing manner. Nicki nodded.

The redhead narrowed her eyes at Adam. "What are you doing here anyway?" she inquired.

"It's my free period," he told her.

"And how come you're not with Goldsworthy?" she questioned.

He shrugged. "I just thought I'd stop by and say hi." He paused. "Are you really mad at me?"

Her brown eyes bore into him for a long moment. Nicki looked on with interest.

Suddenly Alicia laughed. "No. I just wanted to see you squirm!"

Adam snorted. "And you claim I'm cruel," he said in jest. He grabbed an unused yoga ball and moved near Alicia and Nicki. Technically it he wasn't supposed to be in the lab so he didn't take a seat in front of a computer. "What are you guys up to?"

"I'm doing research for my social studies paper," Nicki proudly announced.

Adam and Alicia looked at her amused.

"Hey, I actually do school work from time to time," she responded to their skepticism. "Anyway, she's been looking into songs for _Show Your Colors_ on Wednesday."

Adam nodded. It was a monthly event thrown by the GLBT club. There was music and free pizza. This month they were doing karaoke. "I thought Yusuf was handling the music?"

Alicia smirked. "He is but there's no harm in suggestions."

"Right," Adam said slowly. Their musical tastes differed quite a bit, to put it mildly.

"So, how are things going with Fiona?" she grinned, changing the topic. She heard they were finally officially back together.

Adam visibly brightened. "Great!"

"That's good to hear," Alicia said sincerely. She knew the past couple of weeks had been difficult for both of them.

Adam's face grew pensive as looked at her. "I didn't get a chance thank you for yesterday."

She waved him off. "Don't worry about it!"

He shook his head. "No, really, I appreciate you backing me up. But what Owen said out of line."

Nicki scoffed. "He's such an asshole!" Adam and Alicia nodded in agreement.

"He's lucky I wasn't nearby. I would have knocked his face in," Nicki continued.

"Believe me, I wanted to," Adam assured her.

She grinned. "I know. I saw Drew holding you back." Again, the two bumped fists.

Alicia sighed. "Guys, this isn't productive," she lectured. "We all know Owen is ignoramus. Can we move on?"

Nicki and Adam shared a look.

"Let's get back to planning our event," she suggested, or rather demanded.

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: This is somewhat of a filler chapter, but it's necessary before jumping ahead to lunch in the next one! (Didn't want to skip from morning directly to lunch, hehe) Yes, there will be more Fadam :D

Regarding the OCs… Alicia was first introduced in chapter 7. Nicki was introduced in chapter 16. She also makes an appearance in "On A Mission" (chapter 3). Lol.

BTW, in this story GLBT Club is Degrassi's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender union.


	28. Take Your Time

"Radiate" – part 28

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: More Fadam, albeit with a monkey wrench or two ;-)

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

Adam let out a sigh of relief when he saw Fiona heading down the hall. He had been waiting longer than usual and was started to get concerned. "There you are!" he said as she came close. He had a huge smile on his face.

Fiona softly laughed and threw her arms around his neck. Adam placed his hands on her waist and brought his lips to hers. After a few moments she pulled away. She was eager to grab some food.

"Don't worry, there's no way I would miss lunch," she teased.

"I see. You wouldn't want to be deprived the pleasure of my company?" he grinned.

"Hmm, someone thinks highly himself," she quipped.

He placed his hand over his heart. "That hurt!" he chuckled feigning offense.

She kissed his cheek. "Better?"

He looked into her eyes. "Tons."

She giggled. "Anyway, we're wasting more time," she said, looking at the cafeteria door longingly. "I would have been here sooner but I had to double back to my locker to grab a tampon."

Adam frowned. "Your period started?"

Fiona laughed at his expression. "I guess that makes me untouchable?" she teased.

"No!" he said quickly. He paused. "It's just that… I was hoping it would start tomorrow." Tonight was game night. Once again his team was playing against the Amherst Bulldogs, but this time Degrassi was hosting. Afterward he and Fiona were going to hang out at her Condo. Adam was thrilled it was Friday because they didn't have school the next day.

"Well, it came half a day earlier. I don't really have control over it," she said in jest.

Adam nodded. His was going to start soon too, but he was pretty sure that he would make it through until tomorrow. He was disappointed because he wanted to spend time with her before it did.

She studied him for a moment. "Hey, you didn't think that tonight we were going to…"

Adam looked off to the side. He thought there was a possibly that they would make love. "Maybe," he answered, opting for honestly. His eyes darted to hers, trying to gauge her reaction.

"Adam," she began. They just got officially back together yesterday. In her head she started thinking about Dr. Sandler's words and she didn't want to prove her right.

"Too soon?" he questioned knowingly. She nodded. "Yeah, you're right," he added.

She took his hands in hers. She didn't believe his concession in the slightest, but she appreciated the thought behind it. "We'll definitely get there. Right now things are going great and we shouldn't rush it," she told him as she looked into his eyes.

He could see that she definitely had a point, but he'd be lying to say he didn't think about it. He did. A lot. He burned for her. However, if she wanted to wait he would respect that. He wasn't going to be a jerk about it and try to pressure her. That would be unforgivable. They would just table the issue for now.

Still, he wasn't happy about this turn of events. Since starting T shots his sex drive had increased significantly. Over the summer he noticed a marked difference three weeks in from how he had been before. Luckily for him Fiona had more than adjusted to his change in appetite. She loved his boldness. They developed a communication style that was open and playful. They had plethora of inside jokes and felt comfortable expressing their wants, desires, and fantasies. It was an arrangement that required trust and he understood it would take time to build it up again.

Adam smiled at her. "Okay," he said. "Let's grab some lunch?"

-oOo-

Lunch was going well. They were sitting at their usual table with Clare, Alli, and Eli. The boys were teasing Alli about something and Clare looked on amused. Fiona took another bite of her mashed potatoes and cringed at the texture. It was lumpy.

"You okay?" Adam asked. She smiled at his attentiveness.

"Yep. Just enjoying the lovely solid masses," she quipped.

Clare turned to her with a conspiring grin. "They've really outdone themselves this time, right?" The two girls laughed.

Fiona looked down at her plate and decided to try the watery corn. She glanced at Adam and saw him laughing along with Clare and Alli. She deduced the tides had changed and Eli was now the target of ridicule. She cracked a small smile, however her mind was still on the conversation she had with Adam in the hall.

She wasn't happy her period came early either, but figured it was for the best. She wasn't sure if she could have trusted herself to pull back tonight. While it would have been fun, it probably would not have been smart given their unresolved issues.

She sighed and glanced at her boyfriend again. They needed to figure out their future – if they had a long-term one or not. She was pretty sure they did but the thought of discussing the topic with him made her nervous. How would that conversation even begin? '_Honey, you know how we planned to go to university in New York? Let's plan the rest of our lives together too!_'

Fiona snorted at her line of thought.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Clare asked.

Fiona shook her head. "I'm fine."

Clare studied her for a moment. "I'm going to the bathroom. Come with?"

Fiona smiled at her and nodded.

-oOo-

They were quiet as they washed their hands at neighboring sinks. Clare peered curiously at her friend.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you seem a little _off _today."

Fiona chuckled as she turned off the faucet. Clare could certainly be blunt at times. "Am I that obvious?"

Clare thought about. "No. But I happen to know you well," she smiled. They were close friends. After her break up with Eli and Holly J's departure to university, the two leaned on each other more. "What's on your mind?"

Fiona chewed her lip. "Ever had something you were dying to say, but were terrified to at the same time?"

Clare looked at her closely as she tried to decipher her meaning. "I guess," she answered slowly. "Why are you terrified?"

Fiona looked off to the side. "I don't know. Because what it might mean."

Clare was a little worried. "Are you and Adam okay?" she asked.

Fiona looked up. "Yeah, of course!" she answered. "More than okay actually."

Clare raised an eyebrow. "Really? Do tell," she smirked.

Fiona laughed. "Well, in the hall he inferred that he was looking forward to tonight," she deflected.

Clare nodded with understanding. "And are you?"

"I was, but I can't do anything! I'm on my period so I feel gross and bloated."

"Oh, you got to love mother nature's timing," Clare teased.

"What?" Fiona said quickly. "Oh, right," she added on a delay.

Clare gave her a look. Fiona seemed a little jumpy. "Out with it!" she pressed.

Fiona sighed. "I don't know. Lately I've been thinking of the future. You know, with Adam," she began.

Clare felt bad for her friends. Time had always been an issue for them. They were two years apart in age. In the real world it hardly mattered, but in high school it caused a lot of grief. If Fiona had graduated on time she wouldn't even be at Degrassi, let alone still in Canada. The first few months they dated were fraught with underlying tension about what would happen once the semester ended. When Fiona decided against attending summer school in favor of finishing her credits this fall, it gave them a slight reprieve. However, now that fall semester was ending the same problems had cropped up again.

"You're worried about university, right?" she asked carefully.

Fiona blinked. That wasn't it, but it felt safer to say than what was really troubling her. "Yeah."

.

tbc

* * *

A/N: Hmm, seems like Fiona is starting to freak out a little…

Anyway, to clarify, from here on out I'll likely update every other day. I hope to have the next part on Sunday.


	29. Game Night, part 1

"Radiate" – part 29

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Saturday I had a very productive writing day! I finally finished my Adam/Owen rivalry story, which takes place after this one (there's a two-shot that occurs in between. I'll reveal all in good time!).

I was determined to finish this fic, and I did! After this chapter there are 2 more! They are all pretty long and the last one resolves a major arc. After I continued writing past the original ending (chapter 11) I realized this story would have to conclude with another milestone.

So, now that "Radiate" is complete, I'll continue to regularly update the chapters until they all have been posted. After that, I will post my next story "Blood On The Ground" (previous title: "Fighting").

In the timeline, "Radiate" takes place in October and November of Adam's junior year. "Blood On The Ground" is set in December.

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

Eli smiled as he walked down the hall. The day was winding down and he couldn't wait for this evening. He had a date tonight. Since his break up with Clare a few months ago, he hadn't really dated much. Though the split was a long time coming, the finality of it hit him hard. He had something special with her and it pained him to admit he couldn't be what she needed or deserved.

Clare helped him to love again after the devastating loss of Julia. Taught him that his best days were in front of him, not locked in the past, and that the future would hold laughter and happiness. He had clung to the feeling she gave him the first several months. When she started to grow and change he struggled to keep up. He was proud of her and wanted to support her, but in the end he realized he and Clare were looking for different things in a romantic partner. In his last relationship, it had been him and Julia against the world. They were always together, shared similar interests, and he craved that kind of closeness.

It was too early to tell, because their first date was tonight, but he was optimistic about Stacy. They met in his music class at the beginning of the semester. As time went on he found himself drawn to her. Like him, she played an instrument. He was a guitarist and she was a drummer. They jammed a few times and he was in awe of her skills. It also didn't hurt that he thought she was lovely. Her style was reminiscent of alterna-punk, a lá Avril Lavigne and Fefe Dobson. The latter of whom she resembled with her dark curly hair and mocha complexion.

"You know, if you grin any wider your face might break," Adam commented. He had been talking about their previous class when he realized Eli wasn't listening. One look told him all he needed to know.

Eli snorted. "Dude, you're one to talk," he quipped as they stopped in front of his locker.

Adam laughed. "I'll give you that one." He had been riding on cloud nine all week now that things were good with Fiona. "Anyway, what's the plan for tonight?"

"First we're going to grab dinner at this Italian place on Yonge Street," Eli told him. Adam nodded in approval. "From there it's walking distance to a music festival that she wants to check out. I've heard of a few bands so I'm looking forward to it."

"That's sounds great!" Adam grinned.

Eli smirked at him. "You think so?" He had been a little nervous and changed the restaurant a few times. Fortunately he was picking her up so Stacy hadn't been aware of the changes.

Adam lightly punched him on the shoulder. "Yeah, of course. Would I lie?" he teased.

Eli made a show of pausing to consider his words.

"Hey!" Adam said feigning offense. The two boys laughed. "No, it sounds like it's going to be a good time. My only regret is that you won't be at tonight's game."

"Oh, what a tragedy," Eli deadpanned. He was happy for Adam because he knew how much it meant for him to be on the team, but he hated organized sports. He was fine with the occasional pickup game but uniforms, regular practices, and meathead teammates? No way!

It was ironic but this year had shown him how much Drew and Adam were alike. They both played sports. They both enjoyed working out. And they seemed to attract the same type of girls. Adam was great guy with a big heart but Eli had finally acknowledged his friend was a jock. Not the typical kind, after all he was wicked smart and had compassion in spades, but Adam was more of a guy's guy than Eli was.

Eli had always been a loner and somewhat misunderstood. Adam was comfortable being on his own but he was also right at home being in the thick of things. Now that he wasn't being bullied the social aspect of his personality flourished. Being president of a club seemed like a natural fit for him, whereas taking on a leadership role was something Eli wasn't inclined to do. He had way more fun observing and critiquing from a distance.

The warning bell rang.

"Crap! It feels like the time in between classes keeps getting shorter," Adam complained.

Eli shrugged. "I've got to head to gym."

Adam nodded. "Me too. Remedial," he told him. "Dude, have fun tonight!" he smiled.

-oOo-

Drew narrowed his eyes at Owen from across the room. Practice was over and Coach Armstrong was giving a pep talk. He wished that he would be done with it already because he couldn't stand being here much longer. He was still pissed about yesterday and annoyed that he was on the same team as that idiot.

"In conclusion, we are one team and we have to stay strong," Coach Armstrong finished. He was appalled at the lack of effort they had shown on the field today. They had less players today – he had excused players who were also on the basketball team from practice because they had a game tonight – but he needed them all to show a deeper commitment. In four short weeks the off-season would be over and the team would have to be in top form.

"Next week I need you to show me toughness," he pressed on. He looked around the locker room and studied the tired faces. He looked at Drew, the team captain, and nodded.

Drew stood up. "Coach is right. Let's do all hands in!" he yelled.

Owen rolled his eyes. Torres had been as bad as the rest of them and now he had team spirit? What a crock. He took his time reaching the group. Drew looked up as he placed his hand at the top of the pile. Owen smirked.

"Panthers!" the team called out.

Drew let out a breath of frustration after Coach Armstrong left. He was so exhausted he almost didn't want to come back in a couple of hours for Adam's game. He would of course. There was no way he was going to miss the excitement and the opportunity to chat up girls at the after party.

He narrowed his eyes again as Owen started for the exit. He hated that guy.

"Torres, you're not sweet on me, are you?" Owen jeered.

"Believe me, it's quite the opposite. You're pathetic, you know," Drew retorted.

"Well, have fun at the game tonight cheering on your_ sister_," the larger boy laughed as he left.

-oOo-

Adam sighed as he checked his phone. He hadn't received a text from Fiona so it meant that she wasn't here yet. He reluctantly placed his phone in his locker. He looked around his private changing area and smiled. He liked that he had time to himself before the game. He didn't envy being with the rest of the team in the slightest.

He quickly pulled off his shirt and unwrapped his chest. On days where he had basketball he usually opted for his ace bandage because it was easier to take off. He frowned at the feeling of his unsupported chest. He hated it. During the day his breasts were usually strapped down so he didn't have to think about them. He hastily put on his sports bra. That felt slightly better, but of course he was acutely aware that he was wearing a bra. He shook his head at his negative thoughts and grabbed his basketball jersey along with a blue undershirt.

Once he was dressed he checked his phone again. No new messages. He threw it in his locker and closed the door. It was time to head onto the court with the team.

When he reached the gymnasium it was already packed. The bleachers were nearly filled to full capacity. The other team was there and huddled on the sidelines. Both teams' cheerleaders were warming up. Adam jogged over to his team and nodded at the coach.

"We'll be ready to start in five," he told him.

"Alright, coach," Adam responded. K.C. grinned at him.

"Let's do some throws," he suggested. Even though they were cutting it close Adam agreed.

K.C. and Adam took turns dribbling and passing the ball. Some players thought doing so before the game was a waste of energy, but for them it was a fun pre-game ritual. They had a good feeling about tonight but they'd take all the good luck they could find.

"Go long," K.C. shouted over the noise of the crowd.

"What is this, football?" Adam said amused. He stepped back and was close to the sidelines of the other team. K.C. did a long pass and Adam didn't miss a beat. He dribbled the ball under his leg before throwing it back to K.C.

"Torres? Adam Torres?" he heard.

When spun around he came face to face with a gorgeous girl in an Amherst cheerleading outfit. She was a petite girl with long auburn hair. She smiled at Adam warmly.  
.

tbc

* * *

A/N: If you read "Seven Minutes" you might have a hunch who the OC at the end is…


	30. Game Night, part 2

"Radiate" – part 30

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Notes: Wow, I loved all the guesses! Seriously, you guys rock!

BTW, just wanted to clarify that the team names are the Degrassi Panthers and Amherst Bulldogs.

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

* * *

-oOo-

Fiona rushed through the doors of the gymnasium. She was late! There was a mix up with an item of furniture she ordered and she ended up on the phone with customer service for over a half hour. She was pissed.

As she looked around the energy of the place made her smile. There was a lot of excitement and lively conversation. She came around to the front of the bleachers looking for Alli and Clare. It was easy to spot Clare, she was sitting in the second row but Alli wasn't next to her. Fitz was. Fiona smiled at this development. She knew that an attraction was there and she was happy that things were looking up for her friend. She sauntered over to the two of them.

"Hey guys," Fiona said brightly.

Clare's face was slightly red. Fitz had a silly grin on his.

"Hi Fiona," Clare greeted her. Fitz nodded.

"I just got here. I didn't miss anything, did I?" Fiona winked at Clare.

"No," Clare said quickly. "They're just warming up."

"Cool," Fiona grinned. "So where's Alli?"

"She's holding a seat for you in the third row, to the right," Clare told her.

Fiona softly laughed. She could take a hint. "Alright, see you guys later!"

With Clare's directions it didn't take her long to find Alli. Getting to her was an ordeal. She was on the far right and Fiona had to squeeze past a long succession of people to reach her seat. She sighed heavily when she finally sat down. "_That _was an adventure!" she grumbled.

Alli laughed. "See, when I got here it was an easy walk."

Fiona glared at her.

"My bad," Alli said realizing how flippant her remark was.

"Don't worry about it," Fiona softened. "So did I miss anything? Where's Adam?"

Alli shook her head. "You didn't miss anything. And Adam is down below."

Fiona peered over to the sidelines to see Adam conversing with a cheerleader from the opposing school. "Who is Adam talking to?" she asked curiously.

"What?" Alli asked. She hadn't noticed, having shifted gears when her friend arrived. "Oh! That's Kara Saunders!" she said incredulously.

Fiona looked at her blankly. "Who is Kara Saunders?"

"She's the Queen Bee over at Amherst," Alli answered her.

"Oh," Fiona said. She studied the two, slightly frowning when she noticed they were laughing.

"Wow," Alli said suddenly. "I totally forgot that the two of them—" She abruptly stopped herself.

Fiona gave her a suspicious look. "The two of them _what_?"

"Nothing," she said quickly. Too quickly.

Fiona raised an eyebrow. "Out with it," she ordered impatiently.

"It was way back in January. You and Adam hadn't even met yet!" Alli started.

-oOo-

Adam blinked. "Kara? Saunders?" he said slowly. He hadn't seen her in ages.

She smiled and nodded. He watched as she eyed him up and down. "You look good," she stated.

"You look good too," he responded on reflex. He then added, "There you go again. Now you're fishing for compliments."

They both laughed.

Kara was surprised to run into Adam here. She didn't know he played sports. Then again, she could see that the sweet and funny boy she met a party had changed somewhat over the year. '_Milk does a body good_,' she thought.

"Well, I'd wish you good luck but I'm rooting for Amherst," she teased.

"That's alright. I've got my good luck charm in the crowd," he smiled. He looked up at the bleachers hoping to find her, but he wasn't sure where she was sitting.

"Your girlfriend?" she asked. He nodded. "Fiona Coyne?"

He threw her a questioning look.

"That kind of news travels far and wide," she told him. He laughed. "Anyway, I have to get back. Go Amherst!"

Adam smiled at her. "You guys are going down, _again_!"

He started towards his team when K.C. met him halfway.

"Was that Kara Saunders?" the captain asked.

"Yeah," Adam nodded.

"Can you introduce me?" K.C. pressed.

"Sure!" Adam laughed.

K.C. jumped up and ruffled his friend's hair. "Dude, you're the best!" he grinned. The two took off jogging towards their teammates.

-oOo-

The game played out exactly how they expected it to go. The first three quarters they were neck and neck. However, as Amherst's forwards got tired, Degrassi was able to consistently score with little resistance. Along with Adam stealing control of the ball at his usual rate, it was too much. The Bulldogs couldn't keep up. By game's end the Panthers were ahead by fourteen points.

As Fiona made her way down to court to join the victory celebration, she was a little annoyed. Everyone had a past, Adam was no different. That didn't bother her. From Alli's account all that happened between him and Kara was one make out session at a party. What bugged her a little bit was how friendly he had been. Did he really have to be excitedly chatting with the girl right before their game? Fiona was a little irritated by that. Especially since she had been late and he didn't seem keen on finding her in the crowd.

"Coming through!" she heard Alli yell.

She followed her friend through the throngs of people. She spotted the white and blue uniforms of the team near the center.

"Fiona!" she heard Adam call out.

She instantly smiled and turned around. "Adam?"

He pushed past the people separating them and pulled her into an embrace. "I've been looking for you all night!" he told her. "We won!" he laughed.

"Yes, I know," she said amused.

He brought his hand to her cheek. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too," she smiled. They shared a kiss.

"Ugh, what's with all the PDA?" Alli teased. She cocked her head to the side. They followed her line of sight and spotted Clare and Fitz leaving the gym, hand in hand.

"Aww!" Fiona cooed.

"Yeah, ain't love grand?" Alli deadpanned. "Anyway, I'm going to find out where this after party is!" she said in her usual cheery tone.

Fiona smiled as she watched her friend go. "There's always an after party," she noted.

Adam shrugged. "There's always a reason to party."

"Is that so?" she questioned.

"Hey Adam!" they heard.

He looked up. "Hi Kara!" he said with a bright smile. She was just the girl he wanted to see. He glanced around, trying not to be obvious.

"Fiona, this is Kara. Kara, this is my girlfriend Fiona," he introduced them.

"Adam's good luck charm!" Kara smiled sweetly. "Nice to meet to you."

"Likewise," Fiona told her, even though she didn't mean it. "Bummer about today's game. For you guys."

Kara nodded. "Well, you win some and you lose some. But I'm hoping tonight won't be a total bust."

"Oh?" Fiona said.

"I've heard good things about your victory parties. Are you guys going?" Kara inquired.

Adam re-entered the conversation. "Nope. We're going to spend a relaxing night in," he told her. He looked at Fiona and smiled. "But, this guy is the best tour guide you'll ever meet! K.C. is our team captain and he lives to party."

Kara's eyes lit up when she saw K.C. "Hi. I'm Kara." She held out her hand.

K.C. gave her a charming smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

-oOo-

"You played matchmaker," Fiona grinned as they left the school.

Adam shrugged. "He liked her and I'd thought she would like him."

She grinned wider. "You're such a romantic at heart."

He gave her a look. "No comment." He let go of her hand in favor of wrapping his arm around her waist. "So, shall we call a cab?"

"You're adorable, you know that?" she continued, not taking the bait.

"Adorable? Really?" He made a face.

She laughed. "Yeah, you are!"

"That's a descriptor for dolls and kittens," he argued.

"Not manly enough?" she teased. He gave her another look. "Oh, come on."

He sighed. "Forget I said anything."

She touched his cheek. "Hey, I think your handsome and hot too," she clarified.

He gave her a small smile. "Let's just get back to the Condo."

She frowned at him. "You don't sound convinced. I'll just have to prove it to you in other ways."

He raised an eyebrow. "Like what?" he asked curiously.

She laughed at his reaction. "That's for me to know and for you to find out." She then skipped down the steps.

He smiled as he watched her go, and then ran to catch up.

.

tbc

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A/N: Was there any reason to be nervous? Okay, the cliffhanger was cruel! I would have posted this all together, but "Game Night" got really long and cutting it off before the reveal seemed like the best end point, lol.

It was really awesome that so many people correctly guessed the OC, Kara Saunders! Made me grin from ear to ear :D

**Next chapter is the last chapter!**

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More Notes: The first part of the last chapter provided some background on Eli and Clare's split. Clare made a comment to Fiona about it in chapter 9, but I hope chapter 29 answered any lingering questions. It also delved into Eli's character and his observations of Adam.


	31. Say It's Forever

"Radiate" – part 31

Summary and additional notes in part 1.

Author's Note: Final chapter! Thanks for reading guys! Enjoy the fluff.

Just noticed the traffic counter is *still* down, so Reviews = Awesome, hint hint...

Music Notice: The song featured is "Jus Right" by Robin Thicke. It's beautiful and definitely reminds me of Fadam!

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Degrassi!

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-oOo-

"It's good to be home," Fiona sighed as she walked through the door.

"You can say that again," Adam smirked.

"Oh?" she teased.

He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close. "Home is anywhere you are," he told her as he looked deeply into her eyes. They stared at each other for a long moment. "I love you." He leaned in for a kiss, but she suddenly pulled away.

Adam frowned. "What is it?"

She walked over to the kitchen, determined to get a drink. "What do you want?" she asked upon opening the fridge.

"I don't want anything," he told her. "Just you," he said to himself.

"I'm going to open a new bottle of champagne," she announced.

"What are we drinking to?" he questioned.

"To life, love, and happiness," she responded without missing a beat.

"I guess you have it all figured out," he noted, a little annoyed.

She laughed at the irony of the statement. "Yes, you know me so well," she deadpanned.

Adam furrowed his brows. He wasn't sure what caused this sudden shift in mood. He walked over to her. "I like to think that I do," he said carefully. "Talk to me, Fi."

She shook her head. "I don't want to freak you out." This night had gone so well, she didn't want to wreck it.

Adam smiled at her. "Nothing you can say would ever freak me out," he assured her.

She sighed. "Don't make statements you can't stand by."

He studied her. "Fine. I'll go."

"What?" she said alarmed. Was he really threatening to leave?

He smirked. "I'll go first. I'll tell you something that freaks me out a little," he clarified.

She rolled her eyes. "Very funny."

"I wasn't trying to be," he said seriously. He took her hands in his and took a deep breath. "Remember yesterday?"

"That's a broad question. Can you be more specific?" she asked amused.

Adam leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. "It was right before that."

"Lunch time?" she said knowingly.

"Bingo!" he confirmed. "Anyway, right before I asked to be your boyfriend, you gave a small speech saying that I was your prince."

Fiona smiled at the memory.

"You also said that I was 'the one' and that made me incredibly happy," he continued.

Fiona blinked, unsure where he was going with this. Yesterday she didn't think he caught her slip of the tongue. "Yeah?"

"You're the one for me too," he told her. "I don't want to be with anyone else."

Her heart was beating fast as she took in the gravity of his words. "But we're pretty young," she stated looking away.

Adam brought his hand to her chin and gently raised it until her eyes found his. "I don't think that matters. I know who I want to be with and it's you," he declared. "Do you ever think about the future? Once we're out of school? What our lives together might be like?" he pressed. He felt extremely vulnerable at the moment but he needed to know if she felt the way he did, so he forged ahead undeterred.

"What?" she croaked out. It felt like he was reading her mind. All this time she thought she had been getting ahead of herself. It felt good to know he had been thinking of the same things.

Adam smiled. When he looked into her eyes he got a good feeling.

"Yeah," she finally answered. He grinned widely.

"Do you want to get married?" he asked.

Her eyebrows shot up. "Um, is that a proposal?"

Adam softly laughed. "No," he quickly assured her.

She held her hand over her heart and fell down laughing. "Good, because I don't think I could handle that," she joked. That would be moving a little too fast, even for her.

He joined her on the carpet and gently caressed her cheek. "I meant, would you want to get married someday… to me?"

Fiona pulled him into a lingering kiss. "Maybe," she teased.

Adam nodded. "I'll take that. Maybe is good," he quipped.

-oOo-

The next morning Fiona awoke with a start. She turned on her side and snuggled close to her pillow in an attempt to coax herself back to sleep, but when memories of last night came to mind it was of use. '_Did we really have that conversation?_' she questioned. She turned to Adam's side of the bed but found it empty.

She dragged herself out of the covers and migrated to the bathroom. She washed her face and brushed her teeth. When she exited, her room was still empty. She decided to look for him. As she walked down the hall the delicious aroma of eggs and fresh baked biscuits filled her nose.

She rounded the corner and saw Adam at the stove. He was wearing his blue Panthers undershirt and a pair of plaid boxers. He nodded his head to the soft music playing as he cooked. She smiled broadly, immediately recognizing the song.

_It's just right, it's just right  
A million words will never say,  
The way I truly feel about,  
The one I just I can't live without_

_Cause it's like that, it's like that  
The way you move, the way you dance  
The way I know the moment when,  
You need my love, you need my hand_

_And all I want to do is see you  
All I want to do is please you  
I'm hypnotized by everything you do  
I hope I'm just right for you_

_And baby I know, you're the only one for me  
And it's right there on your lips  
And it's right there in your kiss  
And baby I know, you're the only air I breathe  
And it's right there on your lips,  
And it's right there in your kiss_

_Just right  
Just right for me  
Just right  
Just right for me_

Adam went to grab some milk from the fridge. He smiled when he saw his girlfriend. "Morning Fi."

"Morning Adam," she told him.

He looked at her with open affection for a moment before closing the distance between them. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened their kiss. Adam brought his hands to her waist as the passion exploded between them.

After a long moment Adam suddenly pulled away. "Crap, the eggs!"

Ten minutes later they were sitting at the kitchen table with a new batch of scrambled eggs, ham, and fresh biscuits.

Fiona sighed happily as she sat across from her boyfriend. "You know, a girl could get used to this," she teased.

Adam laughed. "I hope so, 'cause that's how I roll."

She looked at him for moment. "Did last night really happen?" she asked hesitantly.

He took a sip of orange juice. "You mean when you said you wanted to marry me?" he grinned.

She gave him a look. "I said maybe," she corrected him.

He waved her off. "You say that now, but I'll wear you down," he joked.

She smiled at him. "You're really not freaked out?" she questioned. She could imagine that most sixteen year old boys would be.

Adam leaned closer to her. "A little," he admitted. The depth of his feelings scared him but he felt what he felt. "What about you?"

She chuckled nervously. "Yeah." A little might be an understatement, but she was certain of how she felt about Adam.

He let out a breath. "So, we're on the same page. That's good." He reached for her hand.

Fiona nodded. "Yeah, that's good," she agreed. She paused before suggesting, "We might want to keep this to ourselves for now." They could use some time to figure things out, but she was thrilled Adam saw her in his future, like she envisioned him in hers.

Adam squeezed her hand. "Ya think?" he laughed.

.

-FIN-

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A/N: Wow, 92 pages in Word! Insane!

**Thanks for following and thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites.**

Okay, now to reveal what comes next... This story ended in November. There's a two-shot I previously published called "That's All", which takes place in December (I just updated the timeline on my Author's Profile). The next story, "Blood On The Ground" takes place right after it. I will publish it later this week!

I was debating whether or not to add a love scene to "Radiate" but ultimately decided it didn't need one. "That's All" is pretty racy. If you haven't read it, you may want to before read it "Blood On The Ground".

-Cheers!


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